Chirag Paswan's Political Ambitions Ahead of Bihar Elections
Bihar Elections: Chirag Paswan's Strategic Moves
As Bihar gears up for its assembly elections at the end of this year, political parties are intensifying their preparations. Central Minister Chirag Paswan is currently a focal point of discussion, despite his position in the central government. His party has announced its intention to contest the assembly elections, indicating that he will run from a general seat. This raises the question: what is Chirag Paswan really thinking, especially when he claims to stand firmly alongside Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi?
Arun Bharti, a member of Chirag Paswan's party, has made several remarks on social media that suggest a strong desire within the party to see him as the Chief Minister. However, Paswan himself asserts that there is no vacancy for the Chief Minister's position, as Nitish Kumar is expected to continue in that role. This leads to the inquiry: why does Chirag Paswan want to contest the assembly elections in Bihar? As a minister in the central government, his party could potentially perform well in the state elections. With a Chief Ministerial candidate already established in the NDA alliance, what is the rationale behind Chirag's ambitions? Currently, his party ranks third within the NDA in Bihar and lacks any sitting MLAs, making his aspirations for the Chief Minister's position intriguing.
If Nitish Kumar does not continue as Chief Minister under the NDA, the BJP may strengthen its claim. The extent of Chirag Paswan's influence in Bihar remains uncertain, with many political analysts suggesting that this could be a strategy of pressure politics. It is believed that if Paswan enters the Bihar elections, his party could secure a larger number of seats within the NDA. This is likely why his party has begun to adopt various strategies.
Moreover, this could also be a tactic to ensure that coalition partners allocate more seats to Chirag Paswan's party, especially considering the lessons learned from the 2020 elections. Notably, Paswan's party achieved a remarkable strike rate in the Lok Sabha elections. After a significant setback in 2020, the party rebounded impressively in the 2024 elections, showcasing Chirag Paswan's popularity. However, it remains to be seen if this popularity can translate into electoral success. Chirag has been a prominent figure in Dalit politics, following in the footsteps of his father, Ram Vilas Paswan, who was a respected Dalit leader. While he has the support of a significant portion of the Dalit population in Bihar, it may not be sufficient to secure the Chief Minister's position, a dream that his father also could not realize.