Chirag Paswan's LJP(R) Surges to 19 Leads in Bihar Polls, Rejects Deputy CM Speculation

Patna: Chirag Paswan, inheritor of late Ram Vilas Paswan’s political legacy, has emerged as a decisive force in the Bihar assembly elections, propelling his Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) from a single seat in 2020 to leading in 19 constituencies.

The 43-year-old Union minister, however, brushed aside speculation about claiming the Deputy Chief Minister’s post in the incoming NDA government.

Paswan reportedly attributed the 2020 NDA setback—where Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD secured 75 seats and became the single largest party—to internal divisions within the alliance. “Had the NDA fought united, RJD wouldn’t have crossed 25 seats,” he asserted. This time, the RJD is trailing at just 25 leads—one-third of its previous tally.

Paswan’s strategic gamble paid off: after contesting solo in 2020 and winning only one seat, his party negotiated 29 seats within the NDA and is now poised to secure 19—a striking revival for the fledgling outfit.

Asked if he would stake a claim to Nitish Kumar’s deputy, Paswan demurred: “No. The responsibility, if offered, will go to a deserving party member.” Pressed on whether that could be him, he laughed it off, citing his existing duties in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet. “I won’t comment on alliance matters,” he added.

On suggestions that the BJP—leading comfortably—could form the government solely with LJP(R), Paswan emphasised mutual respect within coalitions. “Every partner has a role. A sea is made of drops,” he said, describing himself as “the salt in the alliance—small, but essential.”

The turnaround follows a turbulent phase: written off after the 2020 drubbing, Paswan endured a bitter family feud with uncle Pashupati Paras over his father’s legacy, leading to the party’s split. Yet, in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he silenced critics by sweeping all five seats his faction contested.

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