Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) chief Pashupati Kumar Paras tendered his resignation from the Narendra Modi Cabinet on Tuesday, citing grievances over seat-sharing arrangements in Bihar. His decision comes a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opted for his nephew, Chirag Paswan, to lead a faction of the Lok Janshakti Party.

Addressing a press conference, Paras expressed his continued respect for Prime Minister Narendra Modi but highlighted his dissatisfaction with the BJP’s handling of the seat-sharing pact announced by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Bihar. The RLJP was notably excluded from the allocation of seats.

Paras had previously accused the BJP of favoring Chirag Paswan’s faction over his own and hinted at the possibility of withdrawing from the NDA. His frustration escalated following the BJP’s decision to allot seats, including the contentious Hajipur constituency, to Chirag Paswan’s faction.

Despite being a longstanding ally of the BJP, Paras emphasized that his party had not received equitable treatment in the seat-sharing negotiations. He underscored the RLJP’s loyalty to the alliance and its significant representation with five MPs in Bihar.

The RLJP, a splinter group of the Lok Janshakti Party led by Ram Vilas Paswan until his passing in 2020, has been embroiled in internal strife since the leadership transition. Paras, Ram Vilas Paswan’s brother, leads the RLJP, while Chirag Paswan, Ram Vilas Paswan’s son, controls the opposing faction.

Paras urged the BJP leadership to reconsider its decision regarding seat allocation in Bihar, emphasizing the RLJP’s longstanding partnership and its contributions to the alliance. He indicated that the RLJP would await the official announcement of BJP candidates before making further decisions.