Lok Janshakti Party MP Chirag Paswan on Wednesday, 8 September, met Rashrtiya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav in Patna, to invite him to a memorial for his father — former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.
The memorial will be held on 12 September, Paswan’s death anniversary.
The duo, however, refused to answer any questions about a formal, political collaboration; even as they spoke about close familial ties.
WHAT DID CHIRAG PASWAN SAY?
According to NDTV, Chirag Paswan said:
"We have old family ties. My father and Lalu Yadav (Tejashwi’s father and RJD supremo) worked together for years and my father would have wanted Lalu-ji to participate in such an event.”
On being asked if he would also meet and invite Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Paswan said he had had sought an appointment “but it is not easy to meet the Chief Minister”.
“Especially when it comes to me, he does not give an appointment. I hope he gives me an audience at least before the event,” Paswan added.
AND WHAT ABOUT TEJASHWI YADAV?
Claiming that they are “ghar ke log (family)”, Tejashwi reportedly said: “When we first came into politics in 2010, we learnt a lot from Ram Vilas Paswan.”
“If Lalu-ji gets better he will also attend. He was very upset when Paswan-ji died as they were old comrades.”Tejashwi Yadav
Adding to Paswan’s comment on wanting to meet Nitish Kumar, Yadav said: "On such an occasion, if someone asks for time, they should get it."
BUT DID THEY SAY ANYTHING ABOUT A POLITICAL ALLIANCE?
Neither Chirag Paswan nor Tejashwi Yadav seemed keen on discussing a political alliance at the moment.
“No politics should be read into today's meeting,” Paswan said, according to NDTV.
Meanwhile Tejashwi Yadav, on being asked about his father’s remarks on 'seeing Chirag and Tejashwi together’, told ANI:
“We said what we wanted to say. We can't say anything after what Lalu ji had said.”
BACKGROUND
Earlier in August, Lalu Yadav had backed Chirag Paswan, whose party had been broken into two, with five MPs led by his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras deserting him. He had also expressed favour for an alliance between Chirag’s LJP and his RJD.
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