Bihar leaders pay tribute to Paswan as his remains arrive in Patna

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi and union minister Ravishankar Prasad paid tribute to Ramvilas Paswan on arrival of his mortal remains in Patna late Friday evening.

Kumar was present at the Patna airport to receive body of the Lok Janshakti Party founder with whom he spent long time in the politics.

Kumar and other leaders cutting across party lines paid respect to the septuagenarian leader, who died in Delhi on Thursday, at the airport premises.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, Speaker of state legislative assembly Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and others paid floral tribute to the departed leader on the occasion.

Chirag Paswan, his mother Reena Paswan, uncle Pashpati Paras and other family members were present on the occasion.

Tejashwi Yadav told reporters that his family had close ties with Paswan.

"Foods were not cooked at our home Thursday due to death of Paswan who was a father figure for me," he added.

Later, the mortal remains of the former union minister was taken to the state Legislative assembly premises where Kumar and other ministers and legislators paid their respect to the veteran leader.

Kumar told reporters, he shared long personal relationship with Paswan.

People would always remember him for his dedicated work for comman man and his lovely nature, he said.

From assembly premises, Paswan's mortal remains were brought to LJP's state headquarters in Patna where party workers paid tribute to him.

BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav, state party president Sanjay Jaiswal and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesjh Sahni visited the LJP office to pay respect to the great leader.

His mortal remains will be kept in the party headquarters in the night, party sources said.

He will be cremated on the bank of the river Ganga at Digha ghat with full state honours on Saturday.

Ram Vilas Paswan was born to Late Shri Jamun Paswan and Late Siya Devi in a Dalit family in Shaharbanni village on July 5, 1946.

Paswan, who held a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Arts degrees, started his innings in electoral politics with a win from Alauli Assembly seat in 1969 on Samyukta Socialist Party ticket.

He had hit the national headlines after winning the 1977 Lok Sabha election from Hajipur seat with a record margin of votes on Janata Party ticket. Since then, he represented Hajipur seat for eight times.