Chirag Paswan ousted after 5 of 6 MPs elect Pashupati Kumar Paras as LJP's leader in Lok Sabha

Five of the six Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MPs in Lok Sabha removed Chirag Paswan as the leader of the Lower House and chose senior party leader Pashupati Kumar Paras instead, according to reports. This development comes months after over 200 party leaders switched camps to JD(U). The MPs will hand over a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in this regard, News18 reported. The MPs include Paras, his son Prince Raj, and Chandan Singh, Veena Devi and Mehboob Ali Kaiser, according to The Times of India. Paras called the decision a step to “save our party”, while dismissing rumours that the five MPs are in talks with the JD(U). “This is 100% wrong. LJP is our party and the organisation is strong in Bihar. I was with NDA and I will continue to be a part of the alliance,” he told reporters. In February, over 200 LJP leaders had joined the Janata Dal (United) in Bihar, including former state general secretary Keshav Singh. Singh lashed out at LJP chief Chirag Paswan claiming that he was running the party like a corporate house after the demise of his father Ram Vilas Paswan. He added that Chirag was running private entities in India and abroad, adding that he will be behind bars for corruption. “Chirag is the owner of eight private companies which has properties in the country and also abroad. Soon, I will make revelations on how Chirag has invested money earned through corruption in his companies in an attempt to make his black money white," said Keshav Singh. The lone LJP MLA Raj Kumar Singh joined the ruling JD(U) in April. The Matihani legislator was earlier served a show cause by his party after he voted in favour of NDA candidate for the post of deputy speaker in Bihar Assembly. In February, LJP’s lone MLC Nutan Singh had quit the party and joined the BJP.