Chirag Paswan's party names 12 national spokespersons

The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), headed by Union minister Chirag Paswan, on Friday named 12 leaders, including three sitting MPs and two MLAs, as national spokespersons. According to a statement issued by Abdul Khaliq, the party's national general secretary, those ''nominated as national spokespersons, upon instructions of national president Chirag Paswan'', include MPs Arun Bharti, Shambhavi and Rajesh Verma. While Bharti, the Jamui MP, is married to Paswan's elder sister, Shambhavi, the lone female in the list, is the daughter of JD(U) national general secretary and Bihar minister Ashok Choudhary and represents Samastipur. Verma, the MP from Khagaria, is a trusted aide of Paswan.The panel also includes MLAs Raju Tiwari, the party's state unit president, and Murari Gautam, a former minister who was earlier with the Congress.