LJP chief Paswan rules out supporting BJP

Amidst reports of NDA trying to reach out to LJP, party chief Ram Vilas Paswan today said he will not allow "lotus to bloom" at the Centre at any cost.

Ruling out any possibility of supporting a government led by BJP, Paswan told PTI: "We will not support BJP at any cost to form a government and will make all efforts to ensure that a secular government is formed." Meanwhile, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav and RLD president Ajit Singh today called up Paswan. They as well as BJP Rajya Sabha member Najma Heptullah had also called up Paswan two days back when a fire had broken out in his residence.

LJP secretary general Abdul Khaliq dismissed any possibility of his party switching over to NDA and downplayed the issue of NDA leaders calling up Paswan.

"They called up to inquire about the fire incident. No politics should be read into it," he said.

Also, Paswan said that not only LJP, but even SP and RJD would jointly chalk out plans on forming a secular government.

To a question if he was still in UPA, Paswan said: "I am in UPA and also a Minister in the government." Asked if he would remain in UPA, he said there were two possibilities that could emerge.

"If UPA can get majority there will be no problem. The other scenario is the UPA does not get majority. In that situation, we three parties in the Fourth Front would jointly take a decision on the methodology of forming a secular government."

Paswan affirms support to Cong-led govt

Two days before the final counting, the Congress Core Committee is expected to meet later today at the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi's residence 10 Janpath, to discuss possible alliances for the formation of the government at the Centre.

This meeting comes against the backdrop of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) supremo Ram Vilas Paswan reaffirming his support for the UPA. This blow to the Fourth Front came after a series of phone calls were exchanged between Sonia Gandhi and Paswan yesterday.

Sources say that the LJP chief has assured Sonia Gandhi of his support and has fixed a meeting after May 16.

Last night, senior Congress leaders including Pranab Mukherjee, Ahmed Patel, AK Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibal met at the Prime Minister's residence. The meeting chaired by Sonia Gandhi engaged in the strategy for post-poll scenario and getting more political allies for forming the next government.

LJP, RJD, SP will remain together, says Paswan

Rubbishing reports of disunity in the ‘Fourth Front’, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday asserted that his party, RJD and SP would remain together and strive to form a secular government at the Centre.

“LJP and RJD are part of the UPA and Samajwadi Party is supporting the coalition. We will remain united and work for installation of a secular government at the Centre,” Paswan told reporters in New Delhi.

Asked why he skipped the front’s rally at Rampur on Monday, Paswan said though SP leader Amar Singh had invited him for the rally, he could not attend because of prior engagements.

“Amar Singh called me telling about a rally in Rampur and requested me to come if possible. I told him that I have prior engagements,” he said.

Paswan described as non-issue his absence, reports of which triggered speculation that the Fourth Front was disintegrating.

The LJP leader said, “We — me, RJD and Mualayam Singh — will stay together. Without Mulayam Singh’s support, how can a government be formed at the Centre.”

We will remain with UPA: Paswan

LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan on Saturday insisted that he would remain with the UPA and would discuss post-poll alliance if Congress president Sonia Gandhi extends an invitation.

"We have been saying from the beginning that we are in UPA and we will remain in UPA," Paswan told reporters here, a day after skipping the Union Cabinet meeting apparently because of his unhappiness with Congress for trying to reach out to JD(U).

The Union Minister for Steel and Chemicals said his party did not have pre-poll alliance with Congress this time as it "was not possible".

"There will be post-poll alliance... The only difference is that we had an alliance between Mulayam ji, Lalu ji and I. That is meant to stop BJP in Uttar Pradesh and NDA in Bihar. Let the results come. We will stop them," he said.

Asked when he would have talks with the Congress on post-poll alliance, Paswan said "We will sit with the Congress if we are invited. When UPA Chairperson invites us, then the question (of sitting with them) arises."

RJD, LJP will always remain with UPA: Paswan

The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) was with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and would remain with it, union minister Ram Vilas Paswan said Friday while clarifying that he was staying away from the cabinet meeting in New Delhi because of a previous commitment here.

"I have not skipped the cabinet meeting. I am not able to attend as a previous meeting was fixed in Kolkata," Paswan said, responding to speculation that he was skipping the cabinet meeting called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh because he was miffed with Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's praise of Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

There are elections in Kolkata and Himachal Pradesh, the steel minister said.

"Morever, there was no agenda of my ministry (in the cabinet meeting)," he added.

"The Congress has already clarified what Rahulji wants to say. I am with the UPA. LJP, RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal of Lalu Prasad) is with the UPA. And we will remain with UPA," Paswan asserted.

The reality, he said, was that Nitish Kumar was with the Bharatiya Janata Party-Led National Democratic Alliance Relations between the Congress and the RJD as well as the LJP have been strained to breaking point over seat sharing in Bihar. Rahul Gandhi's comments about Nitish Kumar just added to the tensions.

United We Stand

LJP, RJD, SP to adopt united stand on formation of secular govt

LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan and RJD president Lalu Prasad today said they would put their common views along with Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav on formation of secular government at the Centre after the Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a joint press conference here, Mr Paswan and Mr Prasad said they would have vital role in the formation of a secular government at the Centre and the RJD-LJP-SP configuration would put their views unitedly in this regard.

'''Several secular political parties are contesting the Lok Sabha elections separately but they would come on the same platform for the formation of a secular government after the elections,'' both the leaders claimed.

Mr Paswan and Mr Prasad said the doors would remain open for accommodating the Left parties during the formation of the government at the Centre.

When asked about the reservation of the Congress on the role of Left parties in government formation, both the leaders said the Left should join the government but hastened to add that it was for the Left parties to decide on the issue. Mr Paswan said neither he nor Mr Prasad ever alleged that Congress was responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid but the historical fact could not be denied that Congress government headed by the Prime Minister Narsimha Rao was at the helm of affairs when the incident took place in December 1992.

Both the leaders claimed that their parties would perform better in the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar and alleged that NDA was engaged in booth capturing and other nefarious designs to influence the polling in connivance with the concerned officials of the state government.

Power of WE

We are not inimical to Left: Paswan

Patna: Lok Janshakti Party chief Ramvilas Paswan on Thursday asserted that the UPA was "not inimical" to the Left parties as they wanted them to be with secular forces.

"Hum log kabhi bhi left ke virodh mein nahin hain (we are never inimical to the Left parties)... Hum hamesha chahte hain ki Left secular forces ke saath rahe (we always want that the Left parties be with secular forces)," the Union Minister for Steel, Chemicals and Fertlisers told reporters here.

Mr. Paswan was reacting to RJD chief Lalu Prasad's statement that doors were open for a post-poll alliance with the Left in the event of the Congress-led UPA not being in a position to form a government.

To another question, Mr. Paswan said "no talks have taken place with the Left leaders so far on government-formation at the Centre."

To another query, Mr. Paswan said he along with Lalu Prasad would remain within the UPA.

"We both will stay in (UPA)", he said.

The LJP-RJD combine along with the Samajawadi Party would play a major role in the formation of next UPA government, Mr. Paswan said.

LJP hints, if no RJD, then no ‘UPA’

Patna: Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan indicated today that it would rethink its relationship with the Congress if Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) Lalu Prasad was not part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

"Jo secular forces hain usme bitterness nahin aani chahiye. Lekin agar Congress aisa keh rahi hai, tho hum sochenge. (There should no bitterness among secular forces. But if the Congress is saying so, we will think about it)," Paswan said when he was asked if he would continue in the UPA if Lalu Prasad was not in it.

Paswan, who is in his constituency Hajipur, told a television channel that it was too early to comment on an alliance with the Third Front.

The LJP chief's comment comes a day after the Congress took umbrage at Lalu Prasad's remark that the UPA's prime ministerial candidate would be decided only after the elections.

The LJP and RJD have tied up for an alliance in Bihar, leaving the Congress to go it alone in the 40 Lok Sabha seats.

Stakes high for Lalu-Paswan alliance in round two (Poll Curtainraiser - Bihar)

It’s a high stakes battle for power in round two of Bihar’s parliamentary polls Thursday with not just several heavyweights in the fray but also the powerful Ram Vilas Paswan - Lalu Prasad combine testing its alliance against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who is backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Congress has been left to fight it alone in the state, where elections will be spread over four phases. In round two, 13 of the 40 constituencies are going to the polls, with an electorate of 16.9 million deciding the fate of 189 candidates, including nine women.

Lok Janshakti Party’s (LJP) Paswan and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, duo is said to enjoy overwhelming support amongst the Yadavs, a powerful backward caste, and the Paswans, a Dalit caste. Besides, they have a base amongst the Muslims too and, for the first time, are trying to win over a section of the upper caste by fielding over half a dozen candidates in the second phase.

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) chief Nitish Kumar is hoping that his gambit of announcing 20 percent reservation for Extreme Backward Castes (EBC) and Maha Dalits will pay off in this round. And, together with its partner BJP, it is aiming at upper caste votes as in the past.

All eyes are on the six union ministers testing the electoral waters — the RJD’s Raghuvansh Prasad Singh from Vaishali, M.A.A. Fatmi from Darbhanga, Akhilesh Prasad Singh from East Champaran, Raghunath Jha from Valmikinagar and Congress’ Shakil Ahmad from Madhubani.

Son Of Soil: Chirag Paswan

The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief and steel, chemicals and fertiliser minister, busy with securing his party elsewhere, has roped in his son to help out in his traditional constituency Hajipur, about 25 km from the state capital Patna.

So Chirag, who is in his 20s, has been traversing the roads of Hajipur in the scorching son, requesting people to vote for his father and promising to turn Hajipur into a hub of prosperity.

Chirag, who accompanied his father when he filed his nomination April 1, has been fielding the obvious question — some angry youths asked him why Hajipur had not been done well all these years although Paswan had been representing the constituency since 1977.

The LJP is looking to Chirag to make the job easier for Paswan.

“His long hair and designer clothes are hot topics among villagers,” a LJP leader said, adding that he was proving to be a crowd puller in rural and semi-urban pockets in Hajipur.

Last month, filmmaker Prakash Jha, who has made critically acclaimed films like “GangaaJal” and “Apaharan” and is the LJP candidate from West Champaran in Bihar, said Chirag had Bollywood potential.

“Chirag is a very gifted boy. He’s tall and good-looking and ideal hero material. He has also been training hard for a career and is not taking the golden spoon in his mouth lightly.”

Chirag’s debut film “50-50″ is currently in the pre-production stage. He has also made it clear that he was more keen on a film career than politics.

But as he goes about the constituency, on the fertile northern banks of the Ganges and with plenty of banana plantations, asking for votes with folded hands, the genes come into play. He seems pretty much the seasoned politician.

“Chirag is doing hard work by seeking votes and support for Paswanji,” a LJP legislator said.

The party is hoping fervently that it all translates into votes as well.

SP, LJP, RJD tie-up in Maharashtra too

For the first time, the Lok Jan Shakti Party, along with the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal will come together in Maharashtra to contest over 10 seats.

On April 24, leaders of these parties, Ram Vilas Paswan, Mulayam Singh and Lalu Prasad, will address a joint rally in Mumbai. The alliance hopes to tap the substantial north Indian voters in Mumbai, apart from the Scheduled Castes and Muslims.

The LJP will field candidates in Jalna and Thane or Kalyan.

While the alliance will not field a candidate against Ms. Priya Dutt of the Congress in Mumbai North Central, the SP’s Abu Asim Azmi has already started campaigning in Mumbai North West.

SP spokesman Abdul Kadir Choudhary said: “We are putting up candidates where the Congress is weak. We don’t want to divide the secular vote.” The SP had hoped that either the Congress or the Nationalist Congress Party would support Mr. Azmi but that did not happen.

Mumbai RJD chief Sayyed Shaukat Ahmed said the party would field two candidates in South Central and North East Mumbai, where there are many Muslims and north Indians.

The SP will field candidates in three constituencies in Vidarbha, apart from Aurangabad and Nandurbar, Mumbai North West, North and South.

Ram Vilas Paswan : Seasoned Dalit Leader

Other than the usual designated “Yuvrajs” of Gandhi family, the one politician who has been most pampered in India is Mayawati. She has been pampered like a queen. Many people will not believe but it is a fact that she is not a real “Dalit” leader in the sense meaning somebody who has seen the real hardship of Villages and the issues faced by Dalits there. She was a Primary School teacher and didn’t have to slog through Village Politics. Kashiram her mentor saw some exceptional leadership qualities in her and made her as his Political Heir. So unlike Ram Vilas Paswan and other Dalit leaders she doesn’t have to slog her way from Bottom up.

Then BJP started pampering her since 1995 by making her CM first time with 6 month rotational Chief Minister plan. Obviously this didn’t worked and the coalition broke down. Then PV Narasimha Rao made coalition with BSP in 1996 which resulted in rout of congress in UP but Mayawati benefited. Then again BJP tried to flirt with Mayawati around 1998 with the same 6 month formula which obviously failed.

Thus it seems strange that though despite her ditching BJP and Congress too often, why did both PVN and Vajpayee preferred to have alliance with Mayawati despite their regional leaders dead opposed against it. This was because both PVN and Vajpayee sincerely wanted to give Dalits the prestige of power, a place where they can feel that they are in command. There were many Dalit leaders post independence like Bau Jagjeevan Ram or Sitaram kesari etc but they couldn’t connect to Dalits to the same level as Kanshiram did. Kanshiram passed on this legacy to Mayawati.

So unlike Ram Vilas Paswan, Mayawati has not struggled too hard to reach this place. So she can easily say that she will become Prime Minister even though she may not be confident of winning 30-40 seats.

This election in Uttar Pradesh Mayawati may not be confident of winning more than 35 seats. But the same number of seats could be won by Jayalalitha / Chandra Babu Naidu and Pawar. Then why shouldn’t they claim their title to PM post so aggressively. This because they are seasoned politicians and obviously not so much pampered. They have faced humiliating defeats in past and understand that what does Democratic Humbling means.

So hopefully Mayawati who has seen her graphs only going up through out her life may face some heat this time. In any case today general feel is that leaders like Ram Vilas Paswan are more mature and seasoned Dalit leader under whose aegis the country will prospers.

Paswan sees victory signs in summer crowds

Patna airport: Helicopters of various shapes and sizes are waiting for their high-profile passengers. Soon after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and BJP national president Rajnath Singh fly out for the last day of campaigning for the first phase, it is the turn of LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan to give final touches in the two “winnable” constituencies of Ara and Nawada.

Dressed in a starched and spotless white kurta-pyjama and a matching pair of sports shoes, he takes his seat in the five-seater helicopter. As the rotor starts spinning, Paswan checks the cold water box and air-conditioning. Once airborne, he takes a quick nap; he knows Sahaar, his first destination in Ara, in just 25 minutes away. Soon, he reaches for one of the two tiffin boxes onboard and takes some chapattis and sabji.

By the time he finishes breakfast, the chopper has crossed the Sone river. “Keep the copter to your right, Sahaar will be somewhere around,” Paswan instructs the pilot. He is right, a big crowd is visble below waving to the leader in the air. Paswan asks the pilot to circle the venue once to “announce” his arrival. The landing unleashes a dust storm and the crowd retreats. Some turn their backs to the dust, others bend over.

As the door opens, garlands flow in and hands reach out to touch the leader’s feet. The LJP’s favourite slogan “Gunje dharti aasman, Ramvilas Paswan” rents the air. Candidate Ramkishor Singh, alias Ram Singh, welcomes his leader to the venue as the 2,000 strong crowd takes its place in front of the dais.

The stage is full of small leaders who rush their speeches to hand over the mike to Rama Singh. With folded hands the candidate speaks of development projects undertaken by Paswan. The stage is set for the LJP chief to take over. “Sahaar is like my home. My daughter is married off nearby. I am your friend in happiness and sorrow,” he tells the people, reminding them how he was instrumental in getting B R Ambedkar’s portrait unveiled in Parliament Hall. He also says how he, as communication minister, was the first to think of “a mobile phone in every hand”.

Paswan calls Chief Minister Nitish Kumar a domuha saanp (two-mouthed snake) explaning how the “JD(U) talks of Muslim welfare one day and garlands L K Advani the day”. He says it is time for children of Dailts to wrest important positions. And he has an example at home: “See, Chirag, son of Dalit leader Ram Vilas Paswan, has become an actor now. I had never thought about it.” He asks everyone to raise hands to ensure support for the LJP, the crowd does so and the leader walks back to the chopper a happy man.

His next stop Garahni is 10 minutes away. “Even a small village had these many people under the scorching sun,” Paswan tells Rama Singh who has hopped in for the next leg of the journey. Rama nods in assertion and assures the leader of victory.

The crowd at Garahani is even bigger. The copter is once again the main attraction as Paswan more or less repeats his earlier speech. “There are two Indias, one rich and another poor. We have to bridge this gap,” he tells the voters. He also vows to keep the alliance with the RJD intact this time. “Nitish became CM only because of differences with Laluji and me. But now the two of us will keep the fascist forces at bay,” he adds in the five-minute speech.

He is now ready for Nawada where he has fielded Vina Devi, wife of muscleman Suraj Bhan. Back in the chopper, he tells The Indian Express that he has refrained from making personal attacks, explaining how he had a tough time defending Lalu Prasad after his “roller over Varun” speech.

Forty-five minutes later, Suraj Bhan is waiting for Paswan at Pakribarama in Nawada. But the stage is shaking and Paswan asks people to get off. The speech has to be a bit different here. He talks of starting a sugar mill in the area after the UPA returns to power, adding that the Barauni fertliser company will soon employ over 1,500 people. He also promises to deposit Rs 25,000 in the bank accounts of couples to which a girl is born.

He knows he has wind up by 5 pm and heads for Rajauli where Vina Devi is waiting. Paswan says Vina has been proactive even when she was not in politics. He asks for people’s blessings before returning to the chopper. He is again happy with the good crowds and says the LJP will win Ara and Nawada.

Now, he leaves for Jandaha under Hajipur for a public meeting and roadshow. He takes some rice, daal and vegetables. He is unhappy that the AC has stopped working. But then it is time for the next stop. As the chopper blades grind to a halt, Paswan gets out and disappears into the sea of supporters.

Fourth front is with Dalits

We are with minorities. And we will decide who will be the next PM.

Fourth front will decide who will be next PM

PURNEA: After a show of strength in Etawah, UP, the fourth front bandwagon on Friday rolled into Bihar where SP’s Mulayam Singh Yadav, RJD’s Lalu Prasad, and LJP’s Ram Vilas Paswan claimed before a large crowd that they would be the ones to decide who will be India’s next prime minister.

Mulayam went a step further and declared that the troika will realize Ram Manohar Lohia’s and Jayaprakash Narayan’s dream of ushering in a socialist regime at Centre. Addressing a huge election rally at Rangbhumi Maidan in Purnea, Mulayam expressed happiness that differences between Lalu and Paswan had ended. ‘‘Now all of us have come together,’’ he said.

Lalu also said that they — the Fourth Front — will have absolutely no truck with the Third Front, and surprised one and all by backtracking on his remarks on Varun Gandhi that landed him in trouble. While he had earlier said that had he been the home minister, he would have driven a roller over Varun’s chest, on Friday, perhaps rattled by the EC’s reaction to his diatribe, Lalu said he had meant to drive a ‘‘legal bulldozer’’. ‘‘There’s an attempt to throw me behind bars but I am prepared to for that. After all swaraj was achieved when people went to jail,’’ the railway minister said.

Lalu said their alliance, which is contesting 134 LS seats in UP, Bihar, and Jharkhand, would rule the political firmament across the Hindi belt and crush ‘‘communal’’ elements.

Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt, cheered lustily everytime he came up on the dais, made a brief speech. He said he would still love to do Gandhigiri. Dutt, who has been denied permission to contest eletions by the SC, was speaking in his capacity as SP’s general secretary.

We’ll give dasha and disha to next govt: Fourth Front

The new trinity rising on India’s political horizon put up its first show of strength in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday.

Ram Vilas Paswan, Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh Yadav addressed thousands-strong rally in Saifai village, the Samajwadi Party chief’s homeground.

The key to the next government at the Centre, the trio declared, was with them.

“We are united once again and no power on this earth can now separate the three of us... We are going to form the next government at the Centre,” said Prasad, the chief of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

“Three brothers have come together, not only to win Lok Sabha elections, but also to fight communalism...We will show our strength in the cow belt.”

Mulayam added: “In fact, let me tell you without the support of three of us, no government at the Centre could be formed.”

Paswan joined in, saying: “We will have the arithmetic…UP, Bihar and Jharkhand account for 134 Lok Sabha seats…We will decide the dasha (shape) and disha (direction) of the new government.”

Significantly, unlike its first press conference a week ago in Lucknow, the three did not hail the UPA as the next government or Manmohan Singh as the next Prime Minister, which some warm-up speakers said could even be Mulayam.

But missing from all this action were Samajwadi general secretaries Amar Singh and Sanjay Dutt.

A miffed Amar Singh had threatened to quit the party just two days ago over disagreements with leader Azam Khan, but made a U-turn, it is believed, after Mulayam intervened. But the two, reports said, were present at the next rally in Bareilly.

Saifai was the first stop for the trio in the state on Thursday. Three more rallies were scheduled for Bareilly, Gorakhpur and Varanasi.

At the Saifai rally, Prasad asked the people to “free” Mulayam from Uttar Pradesh politics — apparently hinting that he could play a role at the Centre. “Please free Mulayam Singh Yadav from here. Once we are united now, we would ensure that your candidates win and the coalition wins,” he said.

Paswan joined in saying he and Prasad “were standing like rocks” to support Mulayam. “No one can separate us.”

Striking an emotional chord with the audience, he said: “People here have taken to the streets for Mulayam Singh Yadav and no power on earth can stop his chariot.”

Turning fiery, Prasad said: “We will not let communal forces to come to power. BJP is again promising Ram temple. PMs will come and...go, but we will not let communal forces divide the country. The wheel of law will crush Thakerays and Varun Gandhis…”

Aam aadmi ke Aam Leader

LJP releases manifesto, favours creation of smaller states

PATNA: Releasing its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, the LJP said it was in favour of creation of smaller states like Telangana as it was necessary for better administration and development.

"The party believes that for better administration and development of neglected regions, formation of smaller states is necessary," party chief Ramvilas Paswan said, while releasing the party manifesto here.

The manifesto also promised to take the initiative for socio-economic and educational development of the minorities, especially Muslims in the light of the findings of the Sachar Committee.

He said organisations like the RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal would be banned if the LJP is voted to power and the party would bring a 'communal riot control act' against communal activities.

Paswan promised to make public and implement the recommendations of the Ranganath Mishra Commission, saying there would be a provision of 15 per cent reservation for minorities of which 10 per cent would be for Muslims.

The LJP also promised to provide reservations to women and OBCs in government jobs and the judiciary for which 50 per cent ceiling imposed by the Supreme Court would be removed through appropriate legislation.

Chiranjeevi Supports Fourth Front

Before NDA and UPA started calculating the loss because of a stronger third front, they both may receive another jolt with news of a 4th front in making in the India Political scenario.

This 4th front comprises of Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP, Laloo Yadav's RJD, Mulayam Singh's SP.

And now Chiranjeevi’s support has become a big boost for the fledgling Fourth Front. After a meeting with the Samajwadi Party's Amar Singh and Sanjay Dutt on Monday night in Hyderabad, Chiranjeevi, the rising political star in Andhra politics, declared he was with the Fourth Front.

"I was looking at whom to join in the national context. Then I thought why not the Fourth Front," said Chiranjeevi.

In the event of a hung parliament, the 4th will not support NDA and they may forcefully support the UPA government.

I’d be a big leader, but I am a Paswan

LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan speaks on his ambition, corruption, alliance with Lalu Prasad, Varun Gandhi et al in a freewheeling interaction with Ashok Mishra. Excerpts:

Now that you have joined hands with Lalu and Mulayam, would you pitch for the top job if three of you get a sizeable number of seats in UP and Bihar?
Every person in politics wants to become the Prime Minister. If I don’t say that it would be hypocrisy.
But there are two situations when one becomes Prime Minister.
First, when his party emerges as the single largest party with adequate numbers. Second, when a coalition is cobbled up with like-minded parties or groups. In the second case, a person on whom a consensus is arrived becomes the Prime Minister. In the past, H D Dewe Gowda became the Prime Minister despite less number of seats since the partners were unanimous on his name. But all such presumptions will depend upon the poll outcome.

Will you accept the post, if offered like Dewe Gowda was?
It will depend on the number of seats our formation (Samajwadi Party, RJD and LJP) gets. If we have over 60 seats, we will certainly have the strength to bargain with Congress and other allies of the UPA. But the decision on who would be Prime Minister would be taken at that point of time. The less controversial amongst us may take over.

The issue of Dalit as Prime Minister has been the focal point of every political outfit in the last few years. Where do you place yourself in the entire scheme of things?
There are two ways to attain this goal. Either, the Dalits should achieve it themselves by remaining united throughout the country as one political entity or they should be given the post as per the Constitutional obligation. But I feel there is a need to realise this goal through both the ways.

Had you not been a Dalit leader, would you have aspired for the post?
I would have been a big leader much earlier had I not been a Paswan. But being a Paswan certainly helped me climb the political ladder...I would like to be referred to as a casteless leader.

Paswan Lead's the way....

RASHTRIYA Janata Dal ( RJD) president Lalu Prasad and Lok Janshakti Party ( LJP) supremo Ram Vilas Paswan had no love lost between them until they forged an alliance for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

They had always heaped scorn on each other in the past. Paswan had cribbed that Lalu had robbed him of the railway ministry portfolio in the outgoing UPA government through his political machinations. As a result, they did not even remain on talking terms for most part of the Manmohan Singh regime.

But all that is forgotten now. The upcoming polls have made them scratch each other’s back, showing none of the rancour that defined their relationship over the years. Today, they do not get tired of heaping praise on each other’s performance as union ministers. They appear together at most of the election rallies singing paeans to each other.

Forgetting his bitterness over the ‘ denial’ of the railway portfolio to him, Paswan now acknowledges Lalu’s contribution to the department. He recently asked the electorate of Saran constituency to vote for Lalu for the great work done by him as the railway minister.

Paswan had accompanied Lalu when the latter went to file his nomination papers from Saran on Saturday last.Lalu will surely reciprocate when Paswan files his papers from Hajipur constituency on Thursday. Paswan says that his tie- up with Lalu is for good, and not merely for the upcoming parliamentary polls. He says that their parties will not repeat the mistakes of the last Assembly elections.

No wonder, “ Lalu- Paswan bhai- bhai” is the flavour of Bihar this poll season.

URL- http://epaper.mailtoday.in/epaperhome.aspx?issue=242009

Paswan writes to PM on Ramandurg issue, says NMDC rightful claimant

New Delhi : With the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, the issue of the Mines Ministry’s intense efforts to ensure the prized Ramandurg iron ore mines for state-run Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation (MMTC) intensified today with Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan seeking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention in restraining the Mines Ministry from doing so, arguing that state-run mineral giant National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), under his ministry, was its rightful claimant. The issue is about who should get iron ore mining rights in Ramanadurg range of the state’s Bellary district, considered country’s finest iron ore mine. It all began with Mines Minister Sis Ram Ola making intense efforts in securing the Ramandurg Mines for MMTC, which is under the Commerce Ministry, a move that was firmly opposed by his erstwhile Secretary Shantanu Consul. Ola is understood to have been very angry with Consul for referring the matter to Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar highlighting the need for obtaining the Legislative Department’s advice before endorsing the minister’s contention.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Paswan pointed out that NMDC had already prospected the said area, way back in 1971-73 and was the first and sole applicant in applying for mining lease for 4.5 square kilometers out of a total area of 16.8 sq km. However, when the Karnataka government de-reserved the entire area in the state’s Bellary district later on NMDC swift moved the Karnataka High Court.

The single judge bench in its order in November 2006 directed the state to consider the PSU’s application for the said area in the Ramandurg mines, which was subsequently upheld by a division bench of the High Court. Paswan also pointed out that another PSU under his ministry, the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL) also under his ministry was also another claimant of the said mines. “KIOCL is fighting for its survival and allotment of Ramandurg mines is crucial to its survival.” He said Steel Secretary Pramod Kumar Rastogi has already taken up the matter with his mines counterpart.
URL- http://www.indianexpress.com/story_print.php?storyid=441518

LJP makes Chandni Chowk tough for Cong

Unlike the 2004 elections, the coveted Chandni Chowk seat might be tough for the Congress this time, as there are many sport spoilers for the party.
Shoaib Iqbal, national vice-president of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), has refused to withdraw his nomination for any Congress candidate except Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“I will not withdraw my nomination in any case. The consideration was just made for the Prime Minister, else the party is prepared to give a tough fight to all including Congress,” Iqbal said.
Meanwhile the LJP, which professes of a strong vote base in Chandni Chawk, is claiming that the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Janata Party (RJD) would support it.
It must be mentioned that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has also fielded a Muslim candidate from the constituency.

The area has 13.4% Muslim voters, while the reserved and OBC voters constitute 35%. The Punjabi and Sikh voters are 17.5%.

However, delimitation can affect the Congress’ vote bank as many parties are wooing Muslim, Punjabi, SC and OBC voters. It might be recalled the Congress had lost the seat in 1998, as a major chunk of its votes went to LJP’s Shoaib Iqbal. BJP candidate Vijay Goel had won from the constituency. Goel won with a margin of just 1,995 votes while Shoaib Iqbal had polled 52,721 votes.

While in 2004 the Ram Vilas Paswan-led party had supported the Congress.
The BJP, therefore, is counting on the BSP and the LJP candidates to cut into the vote base of the Congress. BJP candidate from the constituency and MCD Standing Committee chairman Vijender Gupta hopes to cash in on political clash between parties.

However, Iqbal said the party would not help the saffron party in any way. “The Congress must ensure that the BJP does not get any credit. Congress will have to show the stand of the UPA government in terms of what it has done in the last five years,” said Iqbal.
However, apart from Chandni Chowk, LJP has not announced any candidate from South Delhi, New Delhi, North East and East Delhi.
URL- http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090331/delhi.htm#7

Chandani Chowk ki kursi kiski....

Union Minister and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal is a worried man these days. While he was already facing a tough contest after delimitation of his Chandni Chowk constituency, a UPA constituent has only made it tougher. Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) has declared Shoaib Iqbal, its lone MLA from Delhi, as its candidate for the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat. Sibal is desperately calling the LJP leader with a request to withdraw his candidate. Sibal fears Iqbal, with a reasonable support in the constituency, could upset his chances. Defiant LJP leaders say that the Congress had left no stone unturned to defeat Iqbal in the recent Delhi polls.

URL- http://www.indianexpress.com/story_print.php?storyid=417851

Aap agey hum peechey

Description:Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Laloo Prasad Yadav gestures towards Lok Janshakti party chief Ram Vilas Paswan before their departure for a joint election campaign in Patna on 26 March 2009.

Ram Vilas Paswan – The Indian Obama of Dalits

The National Dalit Front has named its president Ram Vilas Paswan as the prime ministerial candidate of the political grouping.
Front's general secretary Udit Raj said that "politics needs to be redefined" as the time has come to "give a touch to social issues".
"So far in politics, emphasis has been given to political and economical issues. But now the focus should be social issues and politics needs to be redefined. Therefore, Paswan is our candidate for prime ministership," he said.
Raj said in the upcoming general elections, NDF would contest 350 seats across the country and the "sharing of seats would be on the basis of the party's strength at the place".
Terming Barack Obama ascent to the US President seat as a major boost to Dalit politics in India, he said: "Now, Dalits in India have strong feeling that a Dalit should become the Prime Minister."
NATIONAL DALIT FRONT – the alliance and its goals

National Dalit front is an alliance of noted dalit leaders who united to form a strong collaboration which would work for the upliftment of the Dalits (the untouchables). Fighting for causes like reservation for them in private sector, separate fund for their development in proportion to their population and formation of a National Judicial Commission to ensure reservation to them in judicial services

LJP releases list of 12 candidates from Bihar

The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) on Tuesday announced the names of 12 candidates from Bihar, with party chief Ram Vilas Paswan contesting from his traditional Hajipur seat in the April-May parliamentary elections.

The LJP is contesting 12 out of Bihar's 40 Lok Sabha seats, with its ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led by Railways Minister Lalu Prasad contesting the remaining 28. The party also announced three candidates from Jharkhand.

Announcing the candidates, Paswan said he would contest Hajipur (reserved) and his younger brother Ramchandra Paswan would contest from Samastipur (reserved) constituency. The party has fielded film-maker Prakash Jha, who joined the party recently, from West Champaran.

The party has nominated its Saharsa MP Ranjita Ranjan, wife of Rajesh Ranjan Yadav alias Pappu Yadav, from Supaul, as Saharsa has ceased to exist following delimitation.

Veena Devi, the wife of jailed Balia MP Suraj Bhan Singh, will be the party candidate from the Nawada seat. Singh was sentenced to life imprisonment last year for murder of a farmer in 1992 and is not eligible to contest himself. The Balia seat has also ceased to exist following delimitation.

Other LJP leaders nominated include state legislator Rama Singh from Arrah, Satish Kumar from Nalanda, Ashfaque Karim from Katihar, Bhagwan Lal Sahni from Muzaffarpur, Shankar Jha from Purnia and Zakir Anwar from Araria. (IANS)

If it is a question of the first Dalit PM, then why not Ram Vilas Paswan?'

Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan has a very clear view on his political inclination with the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections in his mind. All the hard work he has done for the 'Janta' especially the 'Dalits' makes him one of the best leaders today.

Ram Vilas Paswan is the most popular face on the Indian political map and the media, and yet so modest he still claims to be a 'common man' with a belief that untill you dont think like the 'Aam aadmi', you cannot take decisions for your people. He thinks big and thinks of the future ahead that is why his stature his on an uphill drive.







Here are the excerpts of an interview with a leading electronic channel, where Paswan talks about his plans for the 'Janta' and of himself.

Q.A leader has to think big and think of the future ahead. Anything can happen in politics. But you, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu together, nobody could have imagined three months back.

Paswan : Its just that whatever happened in the Parliament recently. It’s a disgrace for the country and it’s a deed that brought disgrace to the Parliament also. For now, the whole matter is before the Speaker to be examined. But above all, is the national interest. After that comes the interest of the parties and then comes the individual’s interest. But if an individual’s interest becomes more important than the party’s interest and party’s interest becomes more important than the national interest, than that country goes to hell. Whatever happened here, national interest was never considered. And if something happens that goes against the interest of the country, then the individuals whether Lalu, Paswan or Mulyam, are not considered.

Q.Is it just this or is there something more to it?

Paswan : Lets start with UP, since the beginning we have held the view that there is no difference between Mayawati and BJP. Even now both are talking. Left is also caught between them. Or we can accept that all the parties except Left that are with them and that call themselves secular despite the fact that these parties have stayed with the BJP or NDA.

Q. So you don’t think Mayawati is qualified to be the prime minister?

Paswan : No she is not. It happens at times that media plays up something. They are saying its social engineering. What is it? In Bihar, what per cent of vote Nitish Kumar has? He became the chief minister because people were angry with Lalu Yadav. In Punjab, people were angry with Amarinder Singh, so Badal got a chance. Mayawati became the Chief Minister because people were angry with Mulayam. It was a negative vote. All parties were attacking him and were asking for Mulayam’s removal. She got that advantage.

Q.Tell me something, Ram Vilasji. At this point of time, politics is such that you are the first politician who has said something against Mayawati. Nobody either doesn’t want to say anything against Mayawati or doesn’t dare to. Everybody says off the record that if I say something than it will be said that ‘dalit ki beti ko kuch keh diya’.

Paswan : So if she is a dalit’s daughter, than am I not a dalit’s son.
Look Ram Vilas Paswan has no charges against him. But she has charges against her that she is ‘daulat ki beti hain’. Now a dalit whose status is such that she pays income tax equivalent to Ambani’s or pays the same tax as Ambani’s employees, then that person is no longer a dalit. ‘dalit ki beti’ is being used like a slogan. On one side is dalit ki beti, on other is swaran ka raj and then there is bahujan samaj. Keep on sloganeering. Thaku baniya Brahmin choor baki sab hain Dsphur. Tilak tarazu aur talwar, inko maro joota char. And then change the slogan and say haathi nahi ganesh hain brahma Vishnu Mahesh hain. Brahmin shaankh bajayega haathi badta jayega. She adopts a double standard. She talks differently when she meets dalits, muslims or uppercast keeping in view their considerations. She went to Meerut where muslims had not voted for her last time. There she said muslims are terrorists. Even we have stayed in socialist parties. They were Lohaities. There was Lohai, Madhur Miya, mama Balasar, S M Joshi. They were Brahmins. We used to give slogans that proclaimed equality and the need to uplift the lower castes. It said that power is with the English-speaking upper castes and this situation needs to be remedied. These people were from upper caste and there was no contradiction in their statement. But in this case, they call bad names to upper caste and then change stance. What makes me angry is that the Left parties who used to talk about a classless society till yesterday and who were against caste system, they changed their stance abruptly.

Q.But why did they do so? They are intelligent.

Paswan : They don’t realise that if they push Mayawati or Ram Vilas Paswan, then most of the dalit votes are in Punjab where there is not a single BSP MLA. After that there are votes in West Bengal. When the muslims and the dalits in Bengal start understanding this and adopt caste politics, then Left parties wont be able to stay. Dalits have the least reservation in West Bengal.

Q.In a meeting recently you had at Patliputra you did not speak in a cordial manner to Lalu and then you served him food.

Paswan : Its not my habit to speak offensively about someone. But its true that people in Bihar have become distanced from Lalu. This is also true of Nitish Kumar. People are looking for a third option, which is Ram Vilas Paswan and Lok Janshakti Party. If Mayawati is the leader of the dalits, she should try to enter Bihar. Once she went for a meeting in Gandhi maidan, which is a sacred place she went by helicopter. Even the prime minister or the president go the airport and then travel to Gandhi Maidan which is 5 minutes from the airport. She did this to attract the crowd. But still there weren’t many people.

Q.But people say that now she is being projected as the future prime minister, dalit vote in Bihar will shift to her.

Paswan : It wont happen in Bihar. Her votes in Uttar Pradesh will be cut. There is Parsi vote in Uttar Pradesh which is 50 %, then there is khateek, valmiki vote.

Q.Her votes will decrease?

Paswan : She asks for votes on caste. But there are Ambedkarites among them. She is getting her own statues constructed after demolishing Ambedkar’s. There is the philosophy of Periyar. She has banned the book on periyar and his photos. There are Ambedkarites even among those belonging to the same caste as her. There are many castes in scheduled tribes. In every state among schedule castes, there is Republican party and others, even in the south. Even after she became the CM, she got just 1.75 per cent in Gujrat, 2 per cent in Himachal Pradesh. Where has she reached?

Q.Tell me something. Yours is a small party which gives it the advantage of having flexibility. You have been with the NDA, UPA and third front. You are like the DMK. Is it a possibility that if NDA forms the government tomorrow, you would support them?

Paswan : No. I have said initially that I made the biggest mistake of my life. I had harmed my interests and had drunk poison after losing my temper over Lalu Yadav. Then I had joined the NDA. But in 1998, Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government was falling because of one vote. Yashwant Sinha, Uma Bharti and others came to my place.

Q.You had given a brilliant speech at that time. You had said that 40 people came with Babar. You didn’t allow others to enter the temple.

Paswan : Yes and I also said that when Babar came Ibrahim Lodhi was ruling the country. Before that was the Khijli dynasty, Tughlaq dynasty, Slave dynasty and Ghauri dynasty. How many people came with those 1,500? And how many muslims do we have today in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh taken together? They are 50 crore. They are not Babar’s children. The biggest reason for this is that till you don’t clean the Ganges, it will continue to breed more insects. Islam is a sacred religion. Islam said everybody is equal before god. If you are not allowed to enter the temples, you can come to the mosques. You eat at the same dastarkhan with others. This was the reason people converted to Islam.

Q.The reason was caste system.

Paswan : Yes. Because of caste system, Sikhism and Christanity came into being. There are 29 per cent dalits in Sikhism. There wont be any Brahmins there. You would find adivasi dalits among christans. Many people converted to Buddhism due to Ambedkar. There were 10 lakh people. All this because of caste discrimination.

Q.So you will never go with the NDA?

Paswan : No. In the beginning, we had said that if JD(U), Nitish Kumar’s party separates from the BJP than we might go with them. But this is not a possibility. They wont leave.

Q.You have worked with different prime ministers- VP Singh, Deve Gowda, Vajpayee, Gujral and Dr. Manmohan Singh. Tell me something about each one of them in a line.

Paswan : VP Singh believed in an ideology and never compromised on any issue related to the dalits. He made a mistake because he was in opposition to the Congress. When it came to the issue of supporting the government, BJP was there to suuport. But even then he never compromised on any issue. I also worked with Chaudhary Charan Singh. His agenda was that of farmers.

Q.You have spoken like a 100 per cent politician. I can tell you whatever happens, elections or no elections you would be on the winning side and you will be a friend.

Paswan : Thank you very much.

Political Twist in Bihar. Lok Sabha Election 2009 Paswan's LJP bags best deal

Politics is a game of rise and fall, the upturn and downfall decides the results. One look at the trends and anyone can take a guess as to who’s the likely hero.

The wildfire these days is the upcoming elections and the talk of the town is the agreement between RJD and LJP for seat sharing in Bihar for Lok Sabha seats. While RJD is contesting on just 1 more seat than what they won in the last elections, Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party being favoured by the public has gained 12 seats which is 4 seats more than last elections and whopping 8 more than what they won.


With his spotless and positive image Paswan is regarded as the strongest contender in the fight. His contribution to the public at large, especially Dalits has won him accolades from all sections of Bihar.

It is fascinating to know that Paswan has served as a Union Minster under five different Prime Ministers and enjoys the distinction of continuously holding a cabinet berth in all the Council of Ministers formed since 1996 (as of 2009). He also holds the distinction of being part of all the national coalitions (the United Front, the National Democratic Alliance and the United Progressive Alliance), despite which Paswan held onto his own principles and beliefs and his strong persona could never be shaken or maligned for any political agendas of a particular party or leader.

Paswan always had a clear ideology for his party, he worked day and night for the welfare of dalits and never succumbed to any political pressures.

Today, the party he has been nurturing for years has come so strong that UPA had to convince themselves to dedicate twice more seats to LJP than their last election’s winning figure.