‘People will decide my seat’: Chirag Paswan confirms his candidature in Bihar assembly polls

Ending speculations, Union minister Chirag Paswan on Sunday confirmed that he would contest Bihar assembly elections due later this year.

Addressing a rally in Ara in Bhojpur district, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader asserted that it is for the people of Bihar to decide from which seat he should contest the polls.

"I will contest the assembly polls in Bihar. I will contest not just in Bihar but for Bihar and its people. I am the son of Ram Vilas Paswan. I will realise the dreams of my father and work for 'Bihar first, Bihari first' to change Bihar," he said.

Paswan, the minister of food processing industries, had earlier hinted that he would return to state politics, sparking speculation on whether the BJP wants him to replace Nitish Kumar as the chief minister. The rumours were further fuelled by LJP’s decision to field him in an unreserved seat.

Chirag, however, made it clear that his plans to contest the elections from an unreserved constituency should not be construed as his chief ministerial ambitions.

"Let me make one thing very clear. My contest will only ensure a better strike rate for my party, which would help the NDA," he said. 

The young leader, however, did not disclose which seat he would contest the polls, saying it is for the people to take a decision on that.

"My alliance is only with the people of Bihar, I will contest all 243 seats to make the NDA stronger. I will live and die for Bihar and for the people of the state... for the pride of the state," he said.

Chirag’s party contested 134 seats in the 2020 assembly polls, mostly against JD(U) candidates, but could not win even a single seat.

 This time he is part of the NDA alliance and has already declared that Nitish Kumar will be the CM face and there was no vacancy for the post.