The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), led by Union Minister Chirag Paswan, is set to launch its high-octane ‘Chirag ka Chaupal’ campaign to bolster his leadership ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, slated for October-November 2025. This grassroots initiative, involving MPs and party workers engaging directly with voters across the state, aims to amplify Paswan’s ‘Bihar First, Bihari First’ vision and cement his stature as a key player in Bihar’s volatile political landscape.

As the third major partner in Bihar’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA), alongside the BJP and Janata Dal (United), LJP (RV) is seizing the moment to capitalize on perceived weaknesses in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership, with party sources citing concerns over his health and declining public support. “The NDA has a strong social coalition, but the opposition is more focused. Chirag’s statewide recognition fills that leadership gap,” an LJP (RV) leader claimed, positioning Paswan as a dynamic alternative.

The campaign comes amid strained dynamics within the NDA, particularly between LJP (RV) and JD(U). Paswan, whose party inflicted significant damage on JD(U) in the 2020 elections by winning just one of 135 contested seats but costing JD(U) over 30, has recently softened his stance, endorsing Kumar as the NDA’s chief ministerial face if the alliance retains power. This shift follows a series of sharp critiques on Bihar’s law-and-order situation, which LJP (RV) MP Arun Bharti defended as reflecting public sentiment. “We voice the people’s concerns, but we’ll contest as NDA allies,” Bharti told PTI, signaling hopes for smooth seat-sharing talks.

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With the NDA’s crowded coalition—including Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM and Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM—yet to finalize seat-sharing, Paswan’s aggressive posturing is seen as a bid to secure a larger share of the 243 seats. LJP (RV) is eyeing at least 25-40 seats, leveraging its 6.47% vote share and perfect strike rate in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, where it won all five contested seats. The party’s recent state executive meeting passed resolutions to contest all 243 seats and pursue national party status, reflecting its ambitious electoral strategy.

Paswan’s focus on Dalit and youth voters, through initiatives like the ‘Bahujan-Bheem Sankalp Samagam,’ aims to broaden his appeal beyond the 5.3% Paswan (Dusadh) community, challenging opposition strategies like RJD’s MY-BAAP coalition. His call for a domicile policy for government jobs, a rare stance among NDA leaders, further underscores his populist appeal. As ‘Chirag ka Chaupal’ rolls out, with rallies like the Nav Sankalp Sabha in Ara already drawing crowds, Paswan’s campaign could reshape Bihar’s caste dynamics and NDA’s internal equations, setting the stage for a high-stakes electoral showdown.

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