Chirag Paswan, the 43-year-old leader of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), has emerged as a major political force in Bihar following the impressive showing of his party in the recent assembly elections. His faction contested 29 seats, nearly matching the party's best-ever performance from February 2005, when it won 29 constituencies. Five years after the death of his father, Ram Vilas Paswan, a stalwart Dalit leader, Chirag has overcome significant challenges including a party split, rivalry with uncles, and initial exclusion from the National Democratic Alliance in 2020. His unwavering loyalty to the Bharatiya Janata Party, combined with his positioning as a young leader focused on development, has paid dividends. Chirag addressed 173 rallies, the highest among all campaigners, demonstrating his appeal across demographics. The BJP acknowledged his importance by making him a Union Minister after the 2024 general elections. His success poses a direct challenge to the Mahagathbandhan's youth icon, Tejashwi Yadav, and strengthens the NDA's position in Bihar politics, especially given the absence of strong state-level BJP leadership.
Overcoming Family Disputes and Political Setbacks
Chirag Paswan's political journey has been marked by numerous obstacles. After Ram Vilas Paswan's death, the Lok Janshakti Party split, with his uncles challenging his claim to leadership. The BJP initially supported his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras by making him a Union Minister. Chirag faced the humiliation of being forcibly evicted from his father's official residence, which he wanted to convert into a memorial. The Election Commission froze the original party name and symbol, forcing him to adopt LJP (Ram Vilas) for his faction. The Paras-led Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party now struggles with barely 1% vote share. Despite being excluded from the NDA alliance in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections at JD(U)'s insistence, Chirag remained steadfast in his loyalty to the BJP.
Vision for Bihar and Future Political Ambitions
Chirag left a promising Bollywood career in Mumbai to enter politics, driven by witnessing the humiliation faced by Biharis across India. He emphasizes his 'Bihar First and Biharis First' vision document, focusing on job creation, revenue generation, improved health facilities, better education infrastructure, and overall state development. As a three-time Member of Parliament, he expressed frustration at being unable to work effectively for Bihar from Delhi. Chirag has indicated openness to the chief minister's post, positioning himself as a young, charismatic leader who can appeal across caste and class lines. He introduced his own 'MY' formula—Mahila and Youth support—as a counter to the Rashtriya Janata Dal's Muslim-Yadav combination, directly challenging Tejashwi Yadav's youth-based politics.
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