
Chirag likely to contest Bihar assembly polls
Amid the rising voices from his party to contest upcoming Bihar assembly polls, Lok Janshakti Party ( Ram Vilas) president and Union minister Chirag Paswan is in all likelihood going to contest the polls scheduled later this year, as per top sources in the party.
' Yes, it is there. The LJP(RV) president is likely to contest the state assembly polls. It is taking shape and things would come up soon. It is being considered seriously,' said a senior party functionary, close to the LJP(RV) president, seeking anonymity.
LJP(RV) national president and Union minister, food processing industries, Chirag did not comment on the reports that he is likely to contest the state assembly polls. 'I will not comment on this matter,' Paswan said, while talking to HT on phone from New Delhi.
However, insiders in the party said the junior Paswan and his close team has started working on the proposal of contesting the state polls in a big way and the party has already zeroed in on few seats including reserved constituencies like Kalyanpur in Samastipur, Mohania , etc from where the 42 year- old union minister could contest. At president, Paswan is a sitting Lok Sabha MP from Hajipur ( SC)parliamentary constituency. There is 38 reserved seats for scheduled caste community and two reserved seats for scheduled tribe community out of 243 assembly seats in Bihar assembly.
' There is a big demand from workers and leaders of the party that Chirag should contest the assembly polls. There are offers and suggestions coming from party workers and leaders from seats where our president should contest the polls. Many leaders have suggested that our president should contest either from south, central or north Bihar. We will all be happy if our president contests the polls,' said Ashraf Ansari, state vice president of the party and spokesperson.
The LJP(RV), having five MPs, is a key constituent of the ruling NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the 2020 state assembly polls, the LJP(RV) led by junior Paswan had contested 133 seats all alone, but had won one only seat .
Many political observers feel, the LJP(RV)'s decision to contest the polls alone with majority candidates being given against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led Janata Dal( United) was one of the factors that perhaps caused the poor show of JD(U) strongman's outfit, which managed to win only 43 seats.
Sources said the move by junior Paswan to contest the polls is aimed to increase LJP(RV)'s electoral presence in the state as well as give a fillip to the union's minister's larger goal of becoming a chief ministerial face in the days to come. In a recent media interview, Paswan had said that he would like to be more active in his own state Bihar and serve the state.
The LJP(RV) president, son of Lok Janshakti Party founder and deceased former union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, has been vocal on state's development and also pushed his ' Bihar first, Bihari first' vision as the party's long-term plan to steer the state to higher trajectory of growth.
Chirag's party MP Arun Bharti batted for a bigger role for Chirag in state politics. 'Chirag Paswan is ready to shoulder bigger responsibility in Bihar; has vision and acceptability across castes, communities,' said Bharti.
Reports said, the demand for junior Paswan to contest the assembly polls was raised at a meeting of the youth wing of the LJP(RV) which was attended by top leaders in Patna. A resolution to demand that party president should contest the assembly polls was passed at the meeting, reports said. State president of the LJP(RV) youth wing Ved Prakash Pandey has posted a message regarding this on his X handle.
Incidentally, there are speculations rife that the demand being raised for Chirag to contest the polls is a calculated move by the regional party to flex its muscles for a better seat sharing deal with the BJP and other constituents in the NDA. Sources said the LJP(RV) is keen to contest around 35-40 seats , a demand that may put the BJP and its allies in trouble as other smaller allies like HAM(Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Manch led by MP, Upendra Kushwaha would then also have a reason to make demands for higher number of seats.
' The LJP(RV) chief is probably seeing an opportunity to become a CM face for the NDA in coming polls. But that may not prove fruitful as the BJP and its allies are already clear that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would be the CM face for the 2025 polls. Yes, there is some sort of pressure politics game being played by the LJP(RV) for higher number of seats or other considerations. But NDA is strong and united,' said a BJP leader, seeking anonymity.
Meanwhile, the opposition RJD has welcomed the possibilities of LJP( RV) president contesting the state polls.' It is good thing if Chirag contests the state polls. But at the same time, he should also tell people what the NDA government at the centre has done for Bihar in last 11 years in power,' said RJD state spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwary.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
India supplies arms to 92 countries: Defence MoS Sanjay Seth
Shimla: Union minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth said on Tuesday that India has transitioned from an importer to an exporter, with defence exports worth approximately Rs 23,500 crore last year. "We are supplying arms to 92 countries, with a defence export target of Rs 50,000 crore this year and Rs 3 lakh crore by 2029," said Seth during a presser in Shimla. Focusing on the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA govt's 11-year tenure, the Union minister stated that India's defence budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 is Rs 2.81 lakh crore, up from approximately Rs 2.53 lakh crore in 2013-14. Previously known as an importing nation, India now produces its own bulletproof jackets and boots, making our forces self-reliant. Seth was accompanied by former chief minister and present leader of the opposition Jairam Thakur, state BJP president Dr Rajeev Bindal, Shimla MP and Air Force veteran Suresh Kashyap. Seth said that India has become the fourth-largest economy in the world and is on the path to becoming the third-largest. "India is confident of achieving the goal of a developed nation by 2047 with Modi's visionary leadership," he added. "When the Ukraine-Russia war began, India safely evacuated 23,000 students, and students from 28 countries left safely under the Indian flag," said Seth. "Under Operation Kaveri , over 3,000 Indians were brought back safely, and after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, it was the first time such a significant military operation was conducted against a nuclear-armed country. Indian armed forces eliminated terrorists in 23 minutes, destroying their 11 air bases," he added. MSID:: 121754401 413 |


Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘Name like that of a don evokes fear': Aligarh MP writes to Centre to rename 131yo Daud Khan rly station
Agra: Aligarh's BJP MP Satish Gautam has urged Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to rename the Daud Khan railway station in his constituency to 'Maharana Pratap Station', saying the existing name resembles that of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and "evokes fear among locals". In a letter sent to Vaishnaw on Monday, a copy of which has been accessed by TOI, Gautam wrote: "There is no village named Daud Khan in the area, nor is there any historical relevance of this name. The regional public demands that the name of the railway station be changed to that of the great ruler Maharana Pratap Singh, who made many historical contributions to the country. Therefore, you are humbly requested to change the name of the above railway station as soon as possible. " He said the station, built in 1894 according to locals, has "no historical relevance" and added that there is no nearby Muslim village that justifies the name. On Tuesday, Gautam said he was confident the minister would approve his request, citing Vaishnaw's "positive mindset" and "track record of new initiatives". Explaining his demand, the MP told reporters, "The name 'Daud' is associated with a terrorist who took many innocent lives, including those of several sisters and daughters. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo He spread fear across Maharashtra and is an enemy of the nation. People hesitate to even say his name. " Locals, however, opposed the proposal, saying the focus should shift from "name politics" to public welfare. "The MP's proposal to rename Daud Khan station reflects a pattern. Since BJP came to power, it has focused on renaming places. I don't think these changes bring any real benefit, they only stir public sentiment. BJP should move beyond name politics and focus on real development and public welfare," said Mohammad Kamran, a local.


News18
27 minutes ago
- News18
'Country Faced Serious Policy Paralysis Before 2014': Union Minister Pralhad Joshi On UPA Era
Last Updated: He contrasted this with the past 11 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which he said have been marked by steady growth and development across all sectors. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday criticised the Congress-led UPA government (2004–2014), stating that the country faced severe policy paralysis during that period due to instability and weak leadership. He contrasted this with the past 11 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which he said have been marked by steady growth and development across all sectors. 'Before 2014, the country was facing serious policy paralysis due to instability and weak leadership. As a result, governance suffered and development stalled. Today, under PM Modi, we have a stable government and strong leadership, which has enabled consistent growth and visible development across sectors. Just to cite an example, the percentage of people living in extreme poverty has drastically reduced, from around 21 per cent to just 5 per cent. More than 26 crore people have come out of multidimensional poverty. This transformation clearly reflects the positive impact of stable governance," Joshi said. He further stated that the Modi government has earned the trust of the people through its record of effective governance over the last 11 years. 'Under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Samman Yojana, we have deposited Rs 3.70 lakh crore directly into the accounts of farmers… Rs 25 crore people have benefited from it… In every such area, the Modi government has moved forward as a decisive government. We have also received the trust of the people," he added. As part of the commemoration of Prime Minister Modi's 11 years in office, the NaMo App has rolled out a nationwide initiative—the 'Jan Man Survey.' The survey quickly gained traction, collecting over 5 lakh responses from citizens across India within just a day of launch. It aims to foster public participation in the democratic process by allowing people to voice their opinions on topics such as national security, governance, cultural heritage, and youth development. The survey has emerged as a significant tool for grassroots engagement, ensuring that citizen input plays a role in shaping future policies. Hosted on the NaMo App, it is being viewed as a step toward deepening the connection between the government and the people it serves. First Published: June 10, 2025, 23:28 IST