Chirag faces heat from NDA over crime remarks

Patna: A day after criticising the state govt and police over law and order issues, LJP (Ram Vilas) chief and Union minister Chirag Paswan continued to draw sharp responses from alliance partners Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and JD(U) on Sunday.

Following Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's remark branding Chirag as a politically inexperienced figure, his son and HAM(S) president Santosh Suman launched a scathing attack of his own. However, BJP leader and PHED Minister Neeraj Singh Babloo maintained that while internal criticism is welcome, Chirag remains very much part of the NDA fold.

"It has become fashionable nowadays to gain media attention by issuing statements on crime," Suman said. "Where does morality go when criminals are welcomed into parties with pomp and show?" he asked.

JD(U) MLA from Parbatta, Sanjeev Kumar, also hit out at Chirag, questioning his political influence in the state. "He doesn't have a single MLA in Bihar. There is no question of him supporting the Nitish Kumar govt," Sanjeev said. "If he had contested the Lok Sabha elections alone, he would have known his real standing. His party won seats only because of votes cast in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name," Kumar added.

Despite the criticism, Chirag's LJP(RV) had a clean sweep in the Lok Sabha elections, winning all five seats allotted to the party.

Meanwhile, Purnia MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav commented on Chirag's growing political alignment with Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor. "Prashant should formally declare Chirag as his CM candidate. If Chirag wins even a few seats in the assembly elections, he will pose problems for JD(U)," he said.

Reacting to the HAM(S) leaders' criticism, Jamui MP Arun Bharti, Chirag's brother-in-law, said, "Manjhi may consider himself a prominent Dalit leader, but the people will decide that in the upcoming elections."