Chirag Paswan reveals why late father Ram Vilas Paswan left UPA in 2014
Ram Vilas Paswan joined the UPA in 2004 and served as a minister in the coalition government headed by Manmohan Singh till 2009.
Union minister Chirag Paswan on Friday blamed Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for his late father Ram Vilas Paswan leaving the now defunct Congress-led United Progressive Alliance ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha elections. “Rahul refused to see my father before 2014 polls, it was a key reason for Ram Vilas Paswan deciding to leave UPA,” Paswan told news agency PTI. The 41-year-old actor-turned-politician recalled he and his late father Ram Vilas Paswan often met then UPA chairperson and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to discuss the future of their party in the coalition.
According to Chirag, Sonia Gandhi suggested Ram Vilas Paswan to meet Rahul Gandhi.
The Union minister claimed that Ram Vilas Paswan sought an appointment and waited more than three months after Gandhi, then Congress vice president, did not relent.ALSO READ: Union minister Chirag Paswan says he's a ‘nepo kid', calls it a ‘double-edged sword’
“It was good for me though. Had the meeting taken place, it would have been difficult for me to convince my father to join the BJP-led NDA,” the LJP (Ram Vilas) chief said, adding that he preferred a tie-up with the saffron party due to his admiration and respect for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Till 2013, we were in the UPA and I remember very clearly that my father was not ready to leave the alliance. He wanted to continue in that alliance and it was extremely difficult for me to convince him to change the alliance," he added.
“I think one of the reasons why my father left the UPA was because he could not meet Rahul ji.”Ram Vilas Paswan, the grassroots Dalit leader from Bihar, joined the UPA in 2004 and served as a minister in the coalition government headed by Manmohan Singh till 2009. He joined the NDA ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha elections that saw Narendra Modi-led BJP storm to power. Paswan served as a Union minister in the first two governments led by Modi. He passed away in 2020. ALSO READ: After Nitish's JD(U), Chirag Paswan opposes Kanwar Yatra rules for UP eateries
{{/usCountry}}“I think one of the reasons why my father left the UPA was because he could not meet Rahul ji.”Ram Vilas Paswan, the grassroots Dalit leader from Bihar, joined the UPA in 2004 and served as a minister in the coalition government headed by Manmohan Singh till 2009. He joined the NDA ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha elections that saw Narendra Modi-led BJP storm to power. Paswan served as a Union minister in the first two governments led by Modi. He passed away in 2020. ALSO READ: After Nitish's JD(U), Chirag Paswan opposes Kanwar Yatra rules for UP eateries
{{/usCountry}}“My father kept trying for a good three-four months to meet Rahul ji and not even a single meeting could take place. I think that was one of the reasons why my father was very upset. Despite beng one of the senior leaders and an important ally in the UPA, he was not given time by Rahul Gandhi to meet.”
{{/usCountry}}“My father kept trying for a good three-four months to meet Rahul ji and not even a single meeting could take place. I think that was one of the reasons why my father was very upset. Despite beng one of the senior leaders and an important ally in the UPA, he was not given time by Rahul Gandhi to meet.”
{{/usCountry}}
Hi, {{name}}
Sign out-
Home -
Cricket -
{{^usCountry}}
-
Premium -
{{^tokenValid}}
Sign In {{/tokenValid}} -
{{#tokenValid}}
{{#reader}}
{{/reader}} {{^reader}} {{#firstName}} {{#userImage}} {{/userImage}} {{^userImage}} {{nameInitials}} {{firstName}} {{/userImage}} {{/firstName}} {{/reader}} {{/tokenValid}} -
{{#tokenValid}}
Games {{/tokenValid}}