Patna, March 21 (IANS) With the by-election to Bochahan (reserved) Assembly seat around the corner, the Rashtriya Janata Dal on Monday gave its ticket to Amar Paswan, the son of the sitting VIP lawmaker whose demise led to the seat falling vacant.
Bochahan seat fell vacant after the death of VIP’s Musafir Paswan. Amar Paswan is son of Musafir Paswan and was expecting a ticket from the NDA.
“My father won the 2020 Assembly election on the ticket of VIP, which is a part of the NDA. As Mukesh Sahani, the President of VIP, is at loggerheads with the BJP, the latter had cut my ticket and given it to another candidate. Now, I cannot contest against the NDA candidate on the ticket of the VIP. Hence, I have joined the RJD in presence of state President Jagadanand Singh. He has also given me the election symbol of the RJD,” Paswan said.
“In case of sitting MLA or MP who died during their tenure, the party generally gives tickets to any of the family members. In my case, the BJP did not consider me and announced another candidate despite the fact that I am very active in Bochahan constituency during the tenure of my father as well as now,” he added.
Earlier, VIP chief Sahani claimed that BJP “stabbed him” as Bochahan is the seat of VIP.
Party insiders said that Sahani would back Paswan to defeat the BJP candidate in the by-election. The VIP may field a dummy candidate to make a straight contest between the BJP and the RJD.
–IANS
ajk/vd
