The Election Commission on Saturday decided to freeze the symbol of the Lok Janshakti Party “until the dispute” between the two factions of the LJP, led by Chirag Paswan and Pashupati Paras, settled down.
In an order the EC said, “When the Commission is satisfied on information in its possession that there are rival sections or groups of a recognized potitical party, each of whom claims to be that party, the Commission may, after taking into account all the available facts and circahrstances of the case and hearing such representatives of the sections or groups and other persons as desire to be heard, decide that one such rival section or group or none of such rival sections of groups is that recognised political party and the decision of the Commission shall be binding on all such rival sections or groups.”
The Commission has asked the factions to provide it, latest by Monday, the names of their groups by which they may be recognized by the EC, and the symbols which may be allotted to the candidates set up, if any, by the respective groups. “They may indicate the names of three free symbols, in the order of their preference, anyone of which may be allotted to their candidates by the Commission,” the order said.
Sources in the ECI had earlier said that the “decision will be taken by October 4. It will be between Saturday and Monday”.
The nomination for the two assembly by-elections seats in Bihar is in process.
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Chirag Paswan on Tuesday had written to the EC to claim the party’s “bungalow” election symbol. His action came in view of the bypolls to Bihar’s Kusheshwar Asthan (Darbhanga) and Tarapur (Munger) assembly seats scheduled on October 30.
His party group national spokesperson A.K. Bajpai said: “We have written a letter to the Election Commission and asked it to rule out the claim of Paras group which is also claiming the same symbol. The claim of the Paras group was illegal as per the internal constitution of the party formed by late Ram Vilas Paswan.”
“We want the Election Commission to clarify its stand before the nomination dates for the bypoll,” he said.
In the 2020 Assembly election, Chirag Paswan broke with the NDA to contest independently, but the party put on a poor display, winning just one seat – and even the winning candidate soon joined the ruling Janata Dal-United. Chirag Paswan was blamed for the pathetic result, and it also created a rift between him and his uncle Pasupati Kumar Paras, who eventually split the party, taking 5 out of 6 MPs with him, and also declared himself as the LJP President.
Chirag Paswan is engaged in a struggle with Paras, and hence the demand to the poll panel.
With inputs from IANS.
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