Chirag Paswan eyes Bahujan leadership in Bihar with show of strength in JD(U) turf

Union Minister Chirag Paswan has been saying that he is joining state politics of Bihar only to improve the ‘strike rate’ of his Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and the NDA in the Bihar assembly elections due in October-November, and not with an eye on the seat of power. However, his party’s aggressive stance has added to the woes of the alliance partners.

A resolution passed recently by the LJP (R) state executive declared Chirag Paswan as the “next chief minister” of Bihar. It was followed by Paswan’s announcement at the Arrah rally that he will contest from all 243 constituencies. These developments have shaken the JD(U) leaders to the core as it reminded them of Paswan’s role in the Bihar assembly elections 2020.

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Now, the LJP (R) has decided to hold a massive political rally In Nalanda, the stronghold of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The party will hold a ‘Bahujan Bhim Sankalp Samagam’ on June 29, which will be a show of strength in the home turf of the JDU supremo.

The party is planning to launch Paswan as the leader of the Bahujan community at the meet.

LJP (R) Bihar in-charge Arun Bharti told the party’s state executive committee on Thursday that attempts are being made to limit Chirag Paswan to a particular community, despite the fact that his popularity is growing by the day.

He added, “There is no leader who is working for the Bahujans in Bihar. We are going to organise ‘Bahujan Bhim Sankalp Samagam’ on 29 June, where Chirag Paswan will be crowned as the leader of the Bahujan community in Bihar with the blessings of Bahujan Samaj.”

Another important NDA partner Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) is miffed with the LJP (R) for holding a political rally in Arrah on 8 June. HAM leader and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi sees it as an intrusion of another Dalit leader in his stronghold — the Shahabad-Magadh region.

There are a total of 11 assembly seats in the Magadh-Shahabad region which are reserved for Scheduled Castes. The NDA had failed to win most of these seats in the Assembly elections 2020.

If the tension between Chirag Paswan and Manjhi persists, it will lead to a split in the Musahar and Paswan voters among the Dalit class. Just like the NDA suffered a setback on six seats in the Magadh-Shahabad region in the Lok Sabha elections, the possibility of loss on many seats in the assembly elections due to Dalit votes cannot be ruled out.