We remained with NDA despite injustice: ex-Union minister Pashupati Paras
Patna, Jul 31: Former Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras on Wednesday maintained that "injustice" was done during the Lok Sabha polls to his Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party which chose, nonetheless, to stay with the NDA.
Paras, who had given up his Union cabinet berth after his party was left high and dry in seat-sharing arrangements, was addressing journalists after a meeting of the RLJP, formed as a result of the split he had engineered in late elder brother Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party.
"Although we got a raw deal in the Lok Sabha polls, we did not switch our loyalties. We hope BJP president JP Nadda would recognise this and give us a fair deal in Bihar assembly polls due next year," said Paras.
He also said the RLJP would like to contest, on behalf of the NDA, one of the four assembly seats where bypolls would be held as their MLAs were elected to the Lok Sabha.
Paras also proposed the name of Narendra Nath Pandey, alias Sunil, the RLJP's national vice president, as the "candidate" for Tarari, which has fallen vacant upon the resignation of CPI(ML) MLA Sudama Prasad, who has been elected to Lok Sabha from Arrah.
"Pandey would give a good fight. He had contested the assembly seat, in 2020, as an Independent and finished runner-up. The BJP should give it consideration," said Paras.
Notably, the BJP candidate for Tarari, Kaushal Kishor Vidyarthi, had finished third and lost his deposit.
The former Union minister also said, "At our meeting, we resolved to make the RLJP strong and lend its strength to the NDA in the assembly polls, provided we get a respectable share. We will back any formation that gives us due respect. If need be, we would contest all 243 seats on our own."
He, however, flinched when asked whether he was trying to caution the BJP that he might switch over to the INDIA bloc which, in Bihar, comprises RJD, Congress and the Left.
"We are issuing no such threat. We are only demanding the respect that is our due. What will happen in future, only time will tell," said Paras, who came out of late Paswan's shadow months after the latter's death by staging a rebellion that left LJP heir apparent Chirag Paswan isolated in the party.
However, Chirag came back from behind in the recent polls when his party Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) got five seats to contest, won all of these and the young leader grabbed the Hajipur constituency as well as the Food Processing Industries portfolio, both previously held by Paras.
Paras was also asked about the order of the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar to vacate the building where LJP ran its office and which RLJP came to occupy upon the split.
"We have challenged the order of eviction in court," he replied.
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'Homebound' makes it to Oscar shortlist for best international feature
Mumbai (PTI): Neeraj Ghaywan's much acclaimed "Homebound" is among the 15 films shortlisted in the best international feature category at the Oscars, moving a step close to the final five nominations and maybe a win.
The movie, inspired by a true story that became the basis of a news article during the pandemic, has been creating a global buzz since its debut in the Un Certain Regard category at the Cannes Film Festival this May.
Hollywood legend Martin Scorsese is a fan and has come onboard as an executive producer ahead of the award season.
Produced by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla, and starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor, "Homebound" is Ghaywan's second movie after "Masaan".
"Homebound" will compete for an Oscar nomination alongside Argentina's “Belén”, Brazil's “The Secret Agent”, French drama "It Was Just an Accident”, Germany's "Sound of Falling” and Iraq's "The President's Cake".
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The other movies in the shortlist include Japan's “Kokuho”, Jordan's “All That’s Left of You”, Norway's “Sentimental Value”, Palestine's “Palestine 36”, South Korean hit “No Other Choice”, Spain's “Sirat”, "Late Shift" from Switzerland, “Left-Handed Girl”from Taiwan and Tunisian drama “The Voice of Hind Rajab”, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced in a release on Tuesday.
The award for best foreign film, now re-categorised as best international feature, has so far eluded India.
Only three Indian films have received nominations in the category -- Mehmood Khan’s “Mother India”, Mira Nair’s “Salaam Bombay” and Ashutosh Gowarikar’s “Lagaan”. Deepa Mehta’s “Water”, starring John Abraham and Lisa Ray, also received a nomination but it was submitted from Canada.
Gujarati film "Chhello Show" in 2023 was the last film to get shortlisted.
Costume designer Bhanu Athaiya was the first Indian to get an Oscar, bagging the coveted prize in 1983 for the film "Gandhi". Other than her, A R Rahman, Resul Pukootty and M M Keeravani have also won individual Oscars.
Team "Homebound" celebrated the shortlist news with posts on social media.
"We made the shortlist... Way to go team Homebound'!" Johar shared in Instagram Stories.
In a post, the producer said it was difficult for him to articulate how "proud and elated" he was with the news.
"All of us @dharmamovies are privileged to have this proud and important film in our filmography... thank you @neeraj.ghaywan for making so many dreams of ours come true... from Cannes to being on the Oscar shortlist this has been such an overwhelming journey! Love to the entire cast and crew and teams of this special special film! Upwards and onwards...."
Ghaywan also shared the news on X.
"#Homebound has been shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards! We are deeply grateful for the extraordinary love and support we've received from around the world," he wrote on X with a special poster of the film.
Jethwa, who plays one of the two friends in the story opposite Ishaan Khatter, said the moment feels "surreal and incredibly humbling".
"To see 'Homebound' being shortlisted and progressing towards the Oscars is something I could have only dreamed of. I am deeply grateful for the love and support the film has received from audiences around the world," he said as he acknowledged Johar, Ghaywan and co-star Khatter and the rest of the team.
Khatter also shared the news on his Instagram stories and wrote, "Oscar ab dur nahi".
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"Homebound" is inspired by journalist Basharat Peer's The New York Times article “Taking Amrit Home”, also titled "A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway".
The film portrays the childhood friendship between a Muslim and Dalit who chase a police job that promises them the dignity they have long been denied due to their surnames.
The Academy on Tuesday also announced shortlists in 11 other categories, including the newly added casting Oscars, animated shorts, cinematography, documentary feature, documentary short, original score and song, sound and visual effects categories.
Nominations for the 98th Academy Awards will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
Twenty-four categories will be awarded at the 98th Oscars. Each category has five nominees, except for best picture, which has 10.
The 98th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
