People of Bihar to decide from where I should contest state polls: Paswan

Paswan is currently a Union minister and MP from his family pocket borough of Hajipur

Union minister Chirag Paswan confirmed that he is going to contest the Bihar Assembly polls later this year but did not reveal his preferred seat and asserted that the people of the state will choose one for him.

 

The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief made the statement during a rally in Ara in Bhojpur district on Sunday.

 

“I will contest the Assembly polls in Bihar. I will contest not just in Bihar but for Bihar and its people. I am the son of Ram Vilas Paswan. I will realise the dreams of my father and work for ‘Bihar first, Bihari first’ to change Bihar,” he said, recalling an old slogan he had coined ahead of the previous Assembly polls in 2020.

 

 

Back then, Paswan was leading the undivided LJP and contested the polls alone, not as part of the NDA.

 

Later, the party split and the Election Commission allotted new names and symbols to the factions led by him and his uncle Pashupati Nath Paras.

 

Paswan contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and was elected from his family stronghold of Hajipur.

 

“It is for the people of Bihar to decide from which seat in the state I should contest in the upcoming Assembly elections. Whenever I take a political decision, I take it for the sake of the state and its people,” the 42-year-old leader said at the rally.

 

“Let me make one thing very clear. My contest will only ensure a better strike rate for my party, which would help the NDA,” he added.

 

 

During the Assembly polls in 2020, Paswan was very critical of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and caused major damage to the latter’s JD(U) on several seats. Paswan had strategically chosen his candidates on many seats to ensure they ate into the JD(U)’s Dalit voter base.

 

However, it is highly likely that Paswan will not cause trouble to the JD(U) in the upcoming state polls, as both parties are now part of the BJP-led NDA coalition.