New Delhi (21.03.2024): The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has dumped Pashupati Nath Paras, former Union Minister to forge alliance with Chirag Paswan, the son of Late Ram Vilas Paswan and Lok Janshakti Party chief giving him five Lok Sabha seats to contest on in Bihar in forthcoming LS polls. Furious Paras resigned as Union Minister saying that he was given a shabby treatment and humiliated by the NDA leadership.

But Uncle Paras was preferred over nephew Chirag earlier when he was inducted in the Modi government and now things are going the other way round which are shrouded with mystery. Is there really any mystery or it is just a political realignment of the BJP that was played up like this for better political gains. The support of all LJP MPs to Paras was the then reason for the Modi government to induct him in the Union cabinet. The Jamui MP did not give up and remained connected with the people of Bihar. Meanwhile, Chirag was attacking Bihar CM Nitish Kumar during the last assembly elections in October 2020 from corruption to his leadership skills. It was also clear from the election results that Chirag Paswan had done the maximum damage to Janata Dal (United) in the 2020 Assembly election in which JD (U) managed to get 43 seats down 28 from the last elections.

Loss of JD (U) was a gain for the BJP in Bihar and the saffron outfit increased 21 seats from its last tally. The RJD was down to 75 losing 5 seats from 80 which it had won in 2015 Assembly elections. Elections were happening after the death of Ram Vilas Paswan and no agreement could have been reached amongst all the NDA constituents and Chirag’s party contested all alone in the 2020 Assembly polls.

It was being predicted that Chirag has fallen apart from the NDA never to come back again but he never attacked the BJP, PM or for that matter to any BJP leader in the state. Was he on some project to fix Nitish Kumar and sacrificed a short and inconsequential ministerial berth at the Centre instead of a better responsibility where he is considered to be an important constituent of the NDA and true successor of his father Ram Vilas Paswan’s legacy who was instrumental in getting 10 per cent reservation to EBCs of poor upper caste getting passed.

Why did the BJP decide to deal with Chirag? Different surveys done by the BJP suggested that Paswan voters considered Chirag as the real successor of Ram Vilas Paswan. It is also very clear that the BJP is now infusing young blood not only in the party but also giving more importance to young leaders in the alliance. The contest is also with Tejashwi Yadav, so leaders like Paras don’t fit into the scheme of things. The 71-year-old Paras neither has appeal in the community nor a youth while Chirag is not only energetic but has appeal among the youth. So, it appears that the BJP leadership decided to invest in the future instead of going with a leader whose entire identity is being a parasite and is known as brother of Ram Vilas Paswan while Chirag has emerged as a leader.

Last but not the least is that the presence of Chirag Paswan will always keep Nitish Kumar balanced as the BJP will not need any leader to answer him when need be. It is Chirag Paswan who will take on Nitish politically. So, for the current political situation too, the presence of Chirag in the NDA fold is important to cut Nitish into size which Paras could not have done even if he had tried. The BJP has bargained tough with Chirag and also with the JD (U) which might get 16 LS seats but it might have to accommodate a couple of BJP candidates in it.