Chirag Paswan on Bihar Elections: No CM Ambitions, but Focused on Improving Strike Rate

Union Minister Chirag Paswan stated that he might consider contesting the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections to improve the strike rate of his Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), but he has no aspirations for the Chief Minister’s chair. Strike rate refers to the percentage of seats won by a party relative to the total seats it contested. He believes that improving his party’s strike rate will benefit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Speaking to reporters, the MP from Hajipur also dismissed the notion that he is eyeing the Chief Minister’s post, expressing regret over attempts to create misunderstandings within the alliance. He clarified that the decision to contest would be made by his party’s parliamentary board. He also pointed out that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has often fielded its national-level leaders in state elections. The Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled for later this year. Paswan emphasized that if he contests the elections, it will solely be to ensure a better strike rate for his party, thereby aiding the NDA. He expressed disappointment over the attempts to suggest he is seeking the Chief Minister’s position. In the 2020 Assembly elections, Chirag Paswan, then president of the Lok Janshakti Party, had caused a revolt, which reduced the number of seats won by the Janata Dal-United (JDU). Currently, Chirag anticipates that the NDA, under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, will form its strongest government ever in Bihar after the elections. The Union Minister also revealed that his party will kick off its election campaign with a rally in Arrah, the headquarters of Bhojpur district, on Sunday. Speculation suggests that Chirag may choose a constituency in the Shahabad region, comprising Bhojpur and surrounding districts. The Union Minister kept his cards close to his chest, mentioning that his party plans to hold more rallies before the elections, with each public meeting involving five to six districts.