Union Minister and Lok Sabha MP Chirag Paswan on Sunday announced that he would contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, injecting fresh energy—and a potential twist—into the state’s political landscape as the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) gears up for the high-stakes polls expected later this year.
Addressing party workers in Bihar’s Saran district, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief confirmed his intention to enter the assembly fray, asking cadres to prepare for contests in all 243 assembly constituencies. “Yes, I will contest the Bihar Assembly polls,” he said. “We are contesting every seat in alliance with the BJP and JDU.”
Paswan’s decision comes despite the LJP’s poor performance in the 2020 Bihar elections, where the party contested 137 seats but secured only one—Matihani.
Currently serving as a Cabinet minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, Paswan recently won the Hajipur Lok Sabha seat by a margin of over 1.7 lakh votes, defeating RJD’s Shiv Chandra Ram.
The NDA in Bihar also includes Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
In his address, Paswan launched a fierce attack on the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance—comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and other INDIA bloc partners—accusing them of repeatedly undermining the Constitution.
“As long as I am alive, no one can threaten reservations or the Constitution,” Paswan declared. “I swear to my leader and father, Ram Vilas Paswan, to protect them at any cost.”
He accused the Congress, a key RJD ally, of having a history of attacking constitutional values, pointing to the 1975 Emergency and changes made to the Preamble at the time.
“The Congress imposed the Emergency and murdered the Constitution. They added 'socialist' and 'secular' to the Preamble,” Paswan said.
The Congress and RJD have in recent months alleged that the BJP and its allies, if returned to power, could attempt to amend or dismantle reservations for marginalised communities—a claim the NDA has consistently denied.
In a notable shift, Paswan also took a veiled swipe at his own alliance partner, the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government, over rising crime rates.
Referring to the recent murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna, Paswan said, “The law and order situation in Bihar is in shambles. It’s a matter of concern, especially for me, because I support this government which is known for sushaasan (good governance).”
Khemka, the owner of Magadh Hospital, was gunned down in broad daylight by unidentified assailants in the capital’s Gandhi Maidan area. His son, BJP leader Gunjan Khemka, had also been shot dead six years earlier in a similar incident.
Paswan expressed hope for a safer Bihar, where citizens can live without fear.
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