india

Updated: Oct 25, 2019 21:52 IST

A day after Prince Raj, nephew of Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, won the Lok Sabha election from Samastipur, he was shouldered with another responsibility. He was made the state president of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in Bihar.

By elevating Prince Raj, whose victory in the by-poll by a comfortable margin despite low polling in an otherwise dismal NDA show in Bihar, LJP has also sent the message across that it should not be taken lightly within the NDA.

Announcing this on Friday, LJP parliamentary board chairman Chirag Paswan said that national president of the party Ram Vilas Paswan had given Prince charge of the state unit after former state chief Pashupati Kumar Paras, MP from Hajipur, had dissolved all the committees. Paras was earlier made the chief of Dalit Sena.

“I was asked to give suggestions on strengthening the organisation in the state and all my suggestions have been accepted by the national president. Making Prince Raj the state unit chief is one of them. With the nod of the party president, I am announcing the name of Prince Raj and hope he would work with new energy to strengthen the party,” he added.

The elevation of Prince Raj, who was appointed the president of the party’s student wing last year, is being viewed as a big step towards revamping the party set up with young face, as Chirag is himself tipped for the national president post in the LJP to succeed Ram Vilas Paswan. Chirag’s coronation could be held at the LJP foundation day in November, said an LJP leader.

Chirag Paswan also said that the party would give opportunities to youth, indicating the move to give new momentum to the party to match its growing aspirations.

Chirag also had a dig at the euphoria in RJD. In an oblique reference to rivals RJD, which has won two assembly seats in the by-election, he said, “There is not much in it to feel overexcited with the results. The NDA will be united and fight with an aim to win 225 seats in the next assembly elections and the LJP workers should work with that in mind.”

Without declaring the number of seats LJP would like to contest in Bihar, Chirag said the party would also field candidates in Jharkhand and the union home minister Amit Shah had been apprised of it. “We have also identified the seats we would like to contest from and apprised him about it,” he added.

Objecting to BJP leader Giriraj Singh’s outburst over the victory of Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM candidate from Kishanganj assembly seat in the bypoll that “it could pose a threat to social integrity.” Chirag said the verdict of the people has to be respected.

Soon after the announcement, Prince Raj restored the committees dissolved earlier by Paras and exhorted the workers to get down to strengthening the party, as 2020 assembly elections were not far away. The state unit has also assigned other leaders the charge of women’s cell, minority cell and youth wing of the party in the state.