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The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has signalled a significant shift in its electoral strategy, urging party president and Union Minister Chirag Paswan to contest the upcoming Bihar assembly elections from a general seat. This marks a departure from Paswan’s previous Lok Sabha campaigns, which were limited to reserved constituencies like Jamui and Hajipur.
Arun Bharti, the party’s Bihar in-charge and Jamui MP, took to social media on Sunday, June 1, to express the sentiments of party workers, advocating for Paswan’s candidature from an unreserved constituency. “The general sentiment of the party workers is that Chirag Paswan should contest assembly elections from a general, and not reserved seat,” Bharti posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Have a look at his post here:
Bharti’s remarks are being seen as an early move to position Chirag Paswan as a potential chief ministerial candidate. “When the leader is from entire Bihar, then why should the scope of the seat be limited?” he asked, adding that both party cadres and the people of Bihar want Paswan to “play a bigger role.”
“Chirag today is not just a representative but the hope of the whole of Bihar,” Bharti added, suggesting that Paswan’s appeal cuts across caste and community lines.
Political observers view the statement as a direct attempt to contrast Paswan with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who, critics argue, is nearing the end of his political tenure.
In another X post, Bharti wrote, "Chirag Paswan today is not just a representative, he is the hope of the whole of Bihar. His move will give a new direction to the politics of social justice - in which along with representation, the fight for universal acceptance will also be fought."
While Chirag Paswan is yet to confirm his intent to enter the assembly race, the LJP’s messaging reflects an ambition to reframe him as a statewide leader capable of contesting from any seat, not just those reserved for Scheduled Castes. The move could also broaden the party’s voter base as Bihar heads into a high-stakes election season.
