Will campaign for BJP in Bihar bypolls to Mokama and Gopalganj, says Chirag Paswan

Mr. Paswan ducked queries as to whether he had given up the insistence on expulsion from NDA of his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, whose rebellion last year had caused a split in Lok Janshakti Party

In a shot in the arm for the BJP in Bihar, Chirag Paswan on October 30 cast aside his ambivalence and announced that he will campaign for the saffron party in bypolls to two Assembly segments in the State.

Mr. Paswan, who heads a splinter group of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) founded by his late father Ram Vilas Paswan, was talking to reporters at the airport in Patna upon his arrival from Delhi.

The 39-year-old MP from Jamui went into a huddle with party colleagues soon after landing before telling journalists "Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will campaign for the BJP in the by-elections to Mokama and Gopalganj. The decision has been taken after a long meeting on October 29 night with Union Home Minister Amit Shah with whom I have been in touch for quite some time".

Mr. Paswan ducked queries as to whether he had given up the insistence on expulsion from NDA of his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, whose rebellion last year had caused a split in the party founded by his father.

"I am right now speaking only about the by-elections for Mokama and Gopalganj. It took a long time for us to arrive at a decision. Only two days are left before the campaign comes to an end. Our party will do its best to ensure the victory of the BJP candidates", he said.

There have been speculations that Mr. Paswan, whose father held a berth in the Union Council of Ministers till his death, may also be considered for the same in the next reshuffle in a bid to assuage the humiliation he felt upon Mr. Paras entering the Cabinet after splitting LJP.

Mr. Paswan did not make any direct reference to any "reward" that may be waiting for him but dropped some hints saying "there were a number of points that I discussed with Amit Shah. A meeting with him and our respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled next month".