Why Chirag Paswan's barb on Bihar law and order hits Nitish where it hurts
This moment, however theatrical, is far from spontaneous. In the 2020 assembly polls, Chirag's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) had contested 135 seats, cannibalising the JD(U)'s support base and pushing its tally down to 43—a manoeuvre that echoed in the confines of the legislative assembly long after the votes had been counted.Today, with Nitish's aura dimmed by age and whispers of faltering health, Chirag perhaps discerns an opening. His intervention taps into a growing unease among Bihar's electorate—urban or rural—who no longer content themselves with welfare hand-outs; they demand streets that do not echo with fear.Indeed, Bihar's law-and-order record has remained deeply challenging. Over the past few weeks, the state has witnessed a disturbing spate of murders, kidnappings and violent offences, often committed with brazen impunity. Local police frequently operate in a reactive mode—arriving only after crimes have been reported, rather than deploying proactive patrols or intelligence-led operations to prevent them.Chirag's public denunciation, therefore, was no mere rhetorical flourish: without naming Nitish, he singled out the chief minister's home department as the one that has 'surrendered' before criminals, effectively targeting squarely at the state's highest office.Yet, beneath the surface urgency lies a deeper ambition: to recast the LJP from a supporting actor into a power player. A senior BJP operative confided, 'Chirag is determined to break the LJP mould, to forge it into a pan-Bihar force.'On paper, the NDA enjoys a formidable position in Bihar. In the 2024 general election, it secured 30 of the state's 40 Lok Sabha seats, besides maintaining leads in the majority of assembly segments, buttressed by a carefully cultivated social coalition. Yet, beneath this veneer of dominance lurk fresh uncertainties.Nitish now appears as a pale shadow of his former self—his health and political heft visibly diminished—while the BJP, buoyed by newfound confidence, is less inclined than ever to play entirely to its JD(U) partner. Into this widening fissure steps in Chirag, whose 'Bihar Bula Raha Hai' campaign has so far been a clarion call to disaffected voters. Sensing a vacuum at the apex of state power, he is positioning himself as the fresh face of Bihar's next political chapter.advertisementIndeed, the subtext of his rhetoric is clear: to present himself not merely as the scion of Ram Vilas Paswan's formidable legacy but as its modern interpreter. Ram Vilas, tantalisingly close to kingmaker status in February 2005, saw his moment dissipate. Now, in his early forties, Chirag carries the weight of unfinished business. Like a craftsman refining a blueprint, he has spent years building visibility—visiting panchayats, attending villagers' weddings, raising his voice where others remain deferential.In Bihar's exquisitely balanced electoral tapestry, Chirag's true value lies not in the raw tally of votes but in the pivot he represents. At his behest, alliances can shift; governments can teeter. His outburst in Gaya was no mere performance, but a calculated proclamation of intent: that the LJP will no longer stand in the shadows, waiting to be summoned. Instead, it will command the stage, and its young leader—unbowed, unreserved—will claim the limelight, which many believe Chirag truly deserves.advertisementSubscribe to India Today Magazine- EndsTune InMust Watch
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