Chirag Paswan on Bihar Elections: No CM Ambition, But Eyes on Improving Strike Rate

Union Minister Chirag Paswan stated on Saturday that he might consider contesting the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections solely to enhance the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)’s strike rate, clarifying that he has no aspirations for the Chief Ministerial position. Strike rate refers to the percentage of seats won by a party relative to the total seats it contested. He emphasized that improving his party’s strike rate would benefit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Speaking to reporters in Hajipur, the MP also dismissed any notion of his ambition for the CM chair. Paswan expressed regret over attempts to create misunderstandings within the alliance. He mentioned that the decision to contest the elections would be made by his party’s parliamentary board, adding that it wouldn’t be unusual, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) often fields its national leaders in state elections. The Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled for later this year. Paswan, 42, clarified that if he contests, it will be to ensure a better strike rate for his party and to aid the NDA. He expressed his dismay at the attempts to misinterpret his intentions regarding the Chief Minister’s post. In the 2020 Assembly elections, Paswan, then the former president of the Lok Janshakti Party, caused a stir that reduced the number of seats for the Janata Dal-United (JDU). He now predicts that the NDA, under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, will form its strongest government yet in Bihar after the elections. The Union Minister revealed that his party would launch its election campaign with a rally in Ara, the headquarters of Bhojpur district, on Sunday. Speculation suggests that Paswan’s party may field him from an unreserved constituency. He has not revealed his specific choice of constituency in the Shahabad region, comprising Bhojpur and surrounding districts, but stated that the party plans more rallies before the elections, with each public meeting covering five to six districts.