Chirag Paswan’s Sharp Attack On Nitish Govt: A Roadmap To Power In Bihar?

Image: ANI

In the aftermath of the shocking rape incident in an ambulance in Bihar, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan has launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s government. His words sparked a debate in which Congress leader Pramod hit out at LJP chief and alleged that he should leave the greed of power.

"Chirag Paswan fought Lok Sabha Elections under NDA alliance, is a Union Minister, and now he is raising questions and criticising crime in Bihar... He should leave the greed of power," Congress leader Pramod Tiwari told ANI.

Reacting to the recent incidents of the Gopal Khemka and Paras Hospital murders, RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari urged the NDA government to acknowledge the rising crime rate instead of dismissing it. 

“He is endorsing our line. It is fashionable to criticise the RJD’s tenure as ‘jungle raj’, but the Gopal Khemka and Paras Hospital murders have presented a very distressing image to the country. The NDA must not adopt an ostrich-like attitude towards the surge in crimes,” said RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari, the Indian Express reported.

Earlier, on Saturday, Chirag Paswan took a snatching attack at Nitish, let go of the government, said that he is "saddened to support such a government," which is not able to curtail the rising crime rate.

"I also believe that these incidents are being carried out as a conspiracy to defame the government ahead of elections. But even then, the responsibility of controlling it lies with the administration. Either the administration is in collusion with it, or the administration has become completely useless, and now it is beyond their power to keep Bihar and Biharis safe," the Union Minister told reporters in Patna.'

Speculation suggests that Chirag Paswan may contest from an Assembly seat in either the Shahbad region (comprising Bhojpur, Rohtas, Kaimur, and Buxar) or the Magadh region (including Gaya, Jehanabad, Aurangabad, and Arwal). Meanwhile, his party is also eyeing key constituencies in North Bihar’s Saran, Siwan, and Champaran belt, as well as Bhagalpur and Munger in South Bihar.

According to JD(U) insiders, the party is cautious about Chirag’s potential strategy, particularly his interest in constituencies where his party had finished second in the 2020 Assembly elections. Back then, the undivided LJP contested 134 out of 243 seats independently, winning just one but significantly damaging JD(U)’s prospects in several areas. Currently, the LJP (Ram Vilas) has five MPs but no MLAs, as its lone winner, Raj Kumar Singh, switched to the JD(U) in 2021