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The bungalow in question has become a focal point of contention between two factions that emerged following the death of veteran politician Ram Vilas Paswan.
The office at One Wheeler Road, which has housed the Lok Janshakti Party for years, is now claimed by both Paras and Paswan.
A fresh controversy has erupted in Bihar’s political landscape, revolving around a bungalow previously used as an office by the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) in Patna. The state’s Building Construction Department issued an order for party chief Pashupati Kumar Paras to vacate the premises, which is located at One Wheeler Road, within seven days. This decision follows the department’s move on Friday, when officials arrived to serve a notice demanding immediate vacating of the bungalow. If Paras fails to comply, authorities have indicated they will forcibly evict him, accompanied by police.
The bungalow in question became a focal point of contention between two factions that emerged following the death of veteran politician Ram Vilas Paswan. After his passing, the party split into two: one led by his younger brother, Pashupati Kumar Paras, who heads the RLJP, and the other by Paswan’s son, Chirag Paswan, who established the Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas (LJP-R). While the two factions have divided politically, the question of who rightfully occupies the party office remains unresolved.
The office at One Wheeler Road, which has housed the Lok Janshakti Party for years, is now claimed by both factions. Currently, the RLJP, led by Paras, occupies the bungalow, despite the official allocation of the property to Chirag Paswan’s LJP-R. This allocation highlights the ongoing struggles for political dominance and legitimacy between the two parties.
The issue escalated last week when a junior engineer from the Building Construction Department affixed a notice to the exterior of the RLJP office, instructing the occupants to vacate immediately. The notice explicitly warned that failure to vacate within a week would result in eviction by force. This situation is further complicated by ongoing legal proceedings concerning the bungalow’s occupancy.
In the midst of this dispute, Chirag Paswan’s party argued that, having received recognition as a state-level party from the Election Commission, they are entitled to government accommodation. This claim adds another layer of complexity to an already contentious political environment.