Chirag Paswan Decides To Join NDA, 'Welcome To Family,' Says BJP Chief JP Nadda

NEW DELHI: In a significant development, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Monday decided to be a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. Confirming the development, the BJP on Monday said that Chirag Paswan has decided to join the NDA alliance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. BJP chief J P Nadda, who met Chirag Paswan in Delhi, welcomed him into the "NDA family". The development comes a day ahead of the ruling National Democratic Alliance meeting.

Paswan also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and described his discussion on the issues related to the alliance with BJP as "positive". Nadda had earlier invited Chirag Paswan to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting that is scheduled to be held on July 18.

The meeting in the national capital will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is being organised to mark the completion of 9 years of the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The LJP (Ram Vilas), significantly, is in alliance with the BJP at the Centre. It even holds a seat in the Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Parliament.

Leaders of 38 parties have confirmed their participation in a meeting of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to be held in the national capital on Tuesday, Nadda said. Addressing a press conference, Nadda said that the NDA constituents are upbeat due to the 'positive impact' of the Narendra Modi government's schemes and policies. "NDA's reach and scope have increased over the years," the BJP national president said.

The NDA meeting will see the presence of a host of existing and new BJP allies as the ruling party has worked overtime in recent weeks and months to seal fresh alliances and win back those who had quit the ruling combine.  

Parties such as AIADMK of Tamil Nadu and Pawan Kalyan's Jan Sena of Andhra Pradesh are among the other parties that will be present in the meeting, besides a number of them from northeast states and other parts of the country.

Reacting to the BJP's invite to the NDA meeting, the LJP (Ram Vilas) chief earlier told reporters that a final decision on attending the NDA meeting or formally joining the ruling alliance at the Centre ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections will be taken after holding consultations with all party leaders and workers.

“We will take a final decision (on joining the NDA) after consulting all the party leaders and workers. We have supported BJP on various issues from time to time, but the final decision on whether to go to the NDA meeting or join the alliance (ahead of the Lok Sabha polls) will be taken after holding discussions with all party leaders,” Chirag Paswan told ANI on Saturday.

To mark the completion of 9 years of the NDA rule under the leadership of PM Modi, the BJP launched a month-long Jan Sampark Abhiyan (mega outreach campaign) on June 1.

Over the course of its mega campaign, which culminated on June 30, the BJP organised a raft of events featuring a raft of top leaders and Union ministers. The purpose of these meetings was to highlight the key takeaways of the NDA government under PM Modi and the many welfarist and developmental schemes that are being implemented across the country.

After a split in 2021, the LJP (Ram Vilas) was allocated a new symbol by the Election Commission (EC). The rival LJP faction, under the leadership of Pashupati Kumar Paras, a sitting Union minister, came to be known as Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party.