May contest Bihar assembly polls but not with eye on CM's chair: Chirag

Patna: Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Saturday asserted that he might consider fighting the upcoming Bihar assembly polls "only to improve the strike rate" of his Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), which would help the NDA.

Talking to reporters here, the Hajipur MP also strongly denied that he had his "eyes on the chief minister's chair" and rued "attempts within the coalition to create misgivings".

"Whether or not I will contest the polls is a decision that would be taken by my party's parliamentary board. Even if I do, it will not be something extraordinary. Even the BJP has often got its leaders with a national footprint to contest state polls," said Paswan.

The Bihar assembly elections are due later this year.

"Let me make one thing very clear that if I contest the assembly polls, it would be only to ensure a better strike rate for my party, which would help the NDA. I am sorry to see attempts being made within the coalition to create misgivings that I have set my eyes on the chief minister's chair," the 42-year-old politician said.

Paswan, the former Lok Janshakti Party president, whose rebellion in the 2020 assembly polls had caused JD(U)'s tally to crash, said he would like to forecast that after the elections, the "NDA will form its strongest government ever in Bihar, under Nitish Kumar's leadership".

The union minister disclosed that on Sunday, his party will be sounding the poll bugle with a rally in Arrah, the Bhojpur district headquarters.

Speculations are rife that Paswan, whom his party wants to contest from an unreserved constituency, might choose an assembly seat in the Shahabad region comprising Bhojpur and adjoining districts.

The Union minister kept cards close to the chest and said, "In the run-up to the elections, my party has planned more such rallies. Each public meeting will cover a cluster of five to six districts."