Chirag Paswan accuses RJD of using Muslims as 'bonded vote bank'

Patna, Oct 25 (IANS) Union Minister for Food Processing Industries and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), accusing it of exploiting the Muslim community for votes while denying them top political positions.

He urged the community to break free from what he termed as being a "bonded vote bank".

Paswan recalled that in 2005, his father and LJP founder, the late Ram Vilas Paswan, had made a significant political move to support the idea of a Muslim Chief Minister in Bihar, but the RJD refused to back it.

"In 2005, my leader, my father, the late Ram Vilas Paswan ji sacrificed even his own party to make a Muslim Chief Minister -- yet even then, you did not support him," Chirag Paswan said in a post on X.

He accused RJD of maintaining the same stance even two decades later.

"RJD was not ready for a Muslim Chief Minister even in 2005, and today in 2025, it is neither ready to give a Muslim Chief Minister nor a Deputy Chief Minister!" Paswan remarked, questioning the party's commitment to inclusion.

Chirag Paswan further appealed to the Muslim community to demand fair representation.

"If you remain a bonded vote bank, how will you get respect and participation?" he asked, appealing to Muslim voters.

The Union Minister's comments came in the wake of the Mahagathbandhan's recent announcement naming Tejashwi Yadav as its Chief Ministerial face and Mukesh Sahani as one of the Deputy Chief Ministerial candidates for the upcoming 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.

The absence of a Muslim leader in any top post within the alliance has triggered discontent. Several AIMIM leaders have also expressed disappointment over this.

Speaking to reporters in Patna on Thursday, Chirag Paswan reiterated his father's long-standing stance.

"This is the same RJD to whom my father in 2005 said that they should make a Muslim the Chief Minister," he said, accusing the party of double standards.

"For them, Muslims are just a vote bank. They talk about inclusion but practice exclusion," he added.

--IANS

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