In a major political move, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) led by Chirag Paswan has decided to expand its organisation in Uttar Pradesh, eyeing the upcoming Assembly elections. The decision was announced at a major event in Lucknow on Sunday to mark the birthday of party leader Ram Vilas Chauhan.
Indicating its focus on strengthening its organisation in Uttar Pradesh, LJP national president Chirag Paswan said his party will make organisational preparations for all 403 assembly seats in the state. However, the final decision on whether to contest the elections in alliance will be made by the Central Parliamentary Board after reviewing the organisation and submitting a proposal to the state unit.
The LJP has appointed MP Arun Bharti as the election in-charge for UP. Chirag Paswan said that Uttar Pradesh was very close to the heart of his father and party founder Ram Vilas Paswan. He said that after his death, the party was embroiled in internal turmoil for some time, which hampered organisational expansion. Now, with renewed energy and a new vision, the party is engaged in a campaign to strengthen its base in Uttar Pradesh, Paswan added.
Chirag looking to expand his party beyond Bihar has political implications. The party currently has 19 MLAs in Bihar, two in Nagaland, and one in Jharkhand. However, this path is not easy, as the BJP already has three allies in Uttar Pradesh: Apna Dal, SBSP, and Nishad Party. This has also raised questions about whether he is trying to pressure the BJP to agree to seat-sharing arrangements for the upcoming 2027 UP Assembly elections.
However, Chirag said there won’t be any differences among NDA allies. He said that the alliance is strong in Bihar, Jharkhand, and at the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Who is saying this and why, only they know, but our faith in Prime Minister Modi's leadership is strong," he added.
