BJP sees LJP’s posturing as a bargaining ploy in Bihar seat sharing

BJP is treating the noises emerging from Chirag Paswan-led LJP(RV) in the last few days as an attempt to boost his stature in Bihar politics and strengthen the party’s case for a larger pie in the NDA seat sharing during the forthcoming Assembly elections.

LJP leaders have announced that Paswan, who is Food Processing Minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet, will contest the Bihar Assembly elections due in October-November. Paswan has declared that he will put up candidates on all 243 seats in the state.

Asked about these developments, well placed BJP sources said Paswan is not likely to quit his cabinet berth in the Modi government and become an MLA in Bihar. With the post of chief minister and deputy CMs held by JDU and BJP respectively, he will have to settle for a cabinet post which would be a demotion.


His father Ram Vilas Paswan had focused on national politics throughout his career and was a minister in either the UPA or the NDA government.

Chirag’s announcement that he will contest all Assembly seats in Bihar is seen as an attempt to drive a hard bargain when the NDA partners sit down to discuss which party will be in the fray on how many seats. His public rallies and posturing have got him some traction in recent days.

In the 2020 Bihar elections, LJP had not contested as a part of the NDA and dented JDU’s electoral prospects by eating into its votes. This had reduced JDU to the third largest party with only 45 seats in the 243 member Assembly. BJP with 80 seats emerged the strongest party while RJD was a close second at 77 seats.

Much would depend on how firmly Nitish Kumar and his core team will check a repeat of 2020 this time. It would also be difficult for LJP to contest alone this time with Chirag as a minister in the union cabinet.