Chirag Paswan cozying up to BJP once again

New Delhi: LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan was in Surat on Wednesday to attend the Hindi Diwas function which was addressed by home minister Amit Shah. Chirag is the member of the parliamentary committee on 'Rajbhasha' and he was there as a member of the committee. But sources tell ET that there was more to Chirag attending the meeting in Surat. Chirag was convinced by the BJP leaders to attend the meeting and he went to Surat.

BJP has always kept the extended rope towards Chirag Paswan and party leaders have maintained that Chirag is still part of the NDA. During the presidential election, union minister Rajnath Singh had called Chirag and asked for his support for Droupadi Murmu. Chirag has supported and had also attended the NDA meeting on the presidential poll.

However, Chirag had maintained that he attended the meeting because he supported Murmu in the presidential election, and he is not part of the NDA.


Sources tell ET that things are being worked out between Chirag Paswan and the BJP in the changed political scenario of the state.

Chirag's uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras along with other party MPs are currently in the NDA alliance. Paras is a union minister.

In the past Chirag had maintained that no talk with the BJP will take place till the time Paras is a minister and is in alliance with the BJP.

The BJP for sure knows that even though the breakaway faction of LJP led by Paras is in alliance, the voters are still with Chirag Paswan. Bihar has 6 per cent Paswan voters who have largely extended their support to LJP in the past.

Before 2024 Lok Sabha polls, BJP wants to pocket this chunk of Dalit voters to compete with the Grand Alliance of the JD (U), RJD, Congress and Left parties.

The party is looking for a formula to retain Chirag Paswan and Paras together within the NDA. When ET contacted Chirag Paswan, he refused to talk on the subject.