Union Minister Chirag Paswan stated that he might consider contesting the upcoming Bihar assembly elections with the primary goal of enhancing the strike rate of his Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). He clarified that his focus isn’t on the Chief Minister’s chair. Strike rate refers to the percentage of seats won relative to the total number of seats contested by the party.
He emphasized that a better strike rate for his party would benefit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Speaking to journalists, the MP from Hajipur also dismissed the notion of his ambition to become Chief Minister. Chirag expressed regret over attempts to create misunderstandings within the alliance.
Paswan said the decision on whether he will contest the elections will be made by the parliamentary board of his party. He added that even if he does contest, it wouldn’t be unprecedented, noting 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, 42, stated, ‘I want to make it clear that if I contest the assembly elections, it will only be to ensure a better strike rate for my party, which will help the NDA. I am saddened to see attempts to create the misconception within the alliance that I am eyeing the Chief Minister’s chair.’
In the 2020 assembly elections, Chirag Paswan, then the former president of the Lok Janshakti Party, contested independently, 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 yet in Bihar after the elections.
The Union Minister disclosed that his party will kick off its election campaign with a rally in Ara, the headquarters of Bhojpur district, on Sunday. Paswan’s party wants to field him from an unreserved constituency. It’s speculated that Chirag might choose an assembly seat from the Shahabad region, comprising Bhojpur and surrounding districts. The Union Minister remained tight-lipped, stating that his party has planned more such rallies before the elections. Each public gathering will encompass five to six districts.