Suspended from party for his recent meeting with BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, JD(U) legislator Chhedi Paswan on Sunday slammed the party leadership for not even giving him any chance to explain his meeting with Modi. Paswan termed his suspension as “unconstitutional”.
Soon after his arrival from Ahmedabad, the disgruntled suspended JD(U) MlA rued that the party leadership should have first issued him showcause notice to explain his position.“They should have followed the party constitution and issued me an explanation before suspending me,” he told mediapersons at the Patna airport. But all the norms of the party were “conveniently” ignored while
suspending me for my meeting with Narendra Modi, wondered Paswan who represents Mohania Assembly constituency in Rohtas district of the State. When asked about his meeting with Modi, Paswan explained that “it was a courtesy call and he did not discuss anything political during his 45-minute meeting with the Gujarat Chief Minister.
However, when asked about the difference between both the Bihar CM and his Gujarat counterpart, the suspended JD(U) MlA said: “A vast difference between them,” but he refused to explain further. Paswan, who earlier was also a Minister in the NDA I of the Nitish Cabinet, though, looked impressed with the Gujarat CM. “There is something in him so that the youth of the country are rooting for him to be the next Prime Minister of the country,” he said.
Earlier, taking serious note of his meeting with the Gujarat CM, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav had suspended Paswan from party for six years. His meeting with Modi had apparently embarrassed the JD(U) leadership. Earlier, during the NDA II when Chhedi Paswan was ignored by Nitish Kumar to take him on his ministerial board, he had turned dissident and cornered the Nitish Government on many occasions.
Paswan had also served as a Minister in lalu Prasad-led RJD Government before switching to JD(U) in 2005. Meanwhile, the buzz in the political circle is that Chhedi Paswan would contest the upcoming lok Sabha poll from Sasaram on BJP ticket. Earlier, two JD(U) MPs Capt Jainarayan Nishad and Purnamasi Ram too had expressed their political sentiment with Narendra Modi. Besides, the State Congress leader and brother-in-law of RJD boss lalu Prasad, Sadhu Yadav too had a meeting with the Gujarat CM in Ahmedabad and was suspended from the Congress.
It is believed that all these leaders who had met Modi may formally be joining hands with the BJP’s PM face during the BJP’s ambitious “Hoonkar Rally”, on October 27 at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan.