Chirag Paswan's comment on PM Modi quashes rumours of rift with BJP

Chirag Paswan

Union minister Chirag Paswan on Friday dismissed talks of rift between his Lok Janshakti Party (RV) and BJP over thorny issues like lateral entry and Waqf reforms and said that he is "inseparable" from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking to PTI, Paswan added that his "love for Modi" is unshakeable.

"My love for Narendra Modi is unshakeable. I am inseparable from him, for as long as he is Prime Minister," Paswan said.

The remarks sought to play down rumours of tensions between the two NDA partners triggered by his stance on issues like Waqf Board reforms, lateral entry into bureaucracy and creamy layer and sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes.

He pointed out that his views have always reflected the government's stand. "A case in point is sending the Waqf Bill to the Joint Parliamentary Committee," he said.

The Waqf Bill proposes several sweeping changes to the existing Act. It was referred to a 31-member JPC by the goverment.

'Will abide by coalition dharma'

The LJP (RV) chief added that he is willing to contest the Bihar assembly elections next year if the BJP desires.

"The fact is, our party has an alliance with BJP in Bihar and at the Centre. So, we will abide by coalition dharma at national level and in my home state. And although we have no strings attached in states like Jharkhand, it does not mean we are averse to a tie-up with BJP there. If the BJP and other NDA partners want us on board, we are game", the Union minister said.

He also played down a recent meeting between estranged uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras and Union home minister Amit Shah.

"He (Paras) has lost all public support. He had been meeting all people ahead of Lok Sabha polls, too. That exercise proved to be of no avail," he said.

Notably, Paras, who heads Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party, had given up his Union cabinet berth in protest against his party not getting any seat to contest in the Lok Sabha polls.

Paswan, who was until then the lone MP of LJP(RV), got five seats, and the party went on to win all of these. Paswan himself grabbed Hajipur, the pocket borough of his late father, leaving Paras, who had won the seat in 2019, in a sulk.