Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Monday declared his unwavering allegiance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating he is “inseparable” from him and dismissing any possibility of joining the opposition after the Bihar elections.
“I do speak with Priyanka ji, and I want to emphasise again that as long as my Prime Minister is there, I am absolutely not going anywhere. My dedication and my love remain. I love him a bit too much,” Paswan told ANI when asked about potential overtures from Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi.
Father’s Political Legacy Influences Stance
Chirag Paswan invoked his father Ram Vilas Paswan’s political legacy, noting he was often called a “mausam vaigyanik” (weatherman) for his ability to predict political outcomes. He emphasized that alliances his father joined typically came to power, but stressed the family never engaged in post-poll arrangements.
“My leader and my party have never entered into a post-poll alliance, no matter how many people called him a ‘weatherman.’ Whichever alliance he chose to go with always came to power,” Chirag Paswan explained.
He recalled how Ram Vilas Paswan formed the LJP in 2000 within the NDA, departed in 2002 following the Godhra riots, and joined the UPA in 2004. “At that time, no one believed that the UPA would form the government the slogan ‘India Shining, India Shining’ was everywhere,” he said, describing his father’s shift as a “good omen.”
Party History and Current Alliance
The LJP rejoined the NDA in 2014 and, after splitting into two factions following Ram Vilas Paswan’s 2020 death, Chirag’s faction returned to the alliance ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections, winning all five contested seats in Bihar.
“No matter how many MLAs we have, whether the government is formed or not, I am right here,” Paswan affirmed, expressing confidence in the NDA forming a strong government in Bihar.
The second phase of Bihar’s assembly elections will determine the fate of 12 cabinet ministers, with results scheduled for November 14.
