Chirag’s father Ram Vilas Paswan, presently a Union minister in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led NDA government, founded the Lok Janshakti Party in 2000 after coming out of the Janata Dal (United). LJP still holds grudges against Nitish Kumar for the political developments that happened after the indecisive 2005 February assembly election results. The party alleged that Nitish Kumar tried to poach a chunk of LJP MLAs — although it wasn’t successful as the then UPA government hurriedly imposed the President’s rule to prevent the NDA forming the government in the state under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. Later, even the former president APJ Abdul Kalam himself regretted signing that controversial decision of the UPA government.

A lot of water has flown under the bridge. The present crack between the two parties isn’t just due to 2005’s bitter memory. The baton of LJP is now in Chirag Paswan’s hands. Chirag is a youth leader and he is very aware of the fact that there is a visible leadership vacuum across the state. No doubt, Nitish Kumar still wields his own influence in the state but this is also a fact that his influence has been waning. Post-Nitish Kumar, the political future of the ruling JD(U) isn’t much clear — which itself is facing a decline even under the leadership of Nitish. The main opposition party RJD too is witnessing a quite similar picture to that of JD(U). The political influence of its supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, the former chief minister of the state who is now serving jail for corruption charges in the fodder scam, has waned considerably. The baton of RJD is now with his son Tejasvi Yadav, who as of now hasn’t been much successful to prove his mettle. On the other hand, state BJP is also a divided camp and Congress continues to remain a beleaguered party in the state.

Chirag Paswan aims to utilize this scenario. He has set his ambitions for becoming the chief minister of the state in the near future. But the main roadblock to his ambition is that LJP isn’t even a pan-Bihar party. LJP’s main base is the Paswan community, the Dalit community which accounts for around 6% of the state population. To fulfill his own high ambition, he needs to make LJP a strong party across the state.

That’s the reason he is targeting Nitish Kumar led JD(U) — which has been facing the anger of people particularly after the complete mishandling of the migrant crisis this year and the failure of the government to properly handle the flood crisis. There is an anti-incumbency factor working against Nitish and so Chirag, despite being an ally, is repeatedly attacking the ruling JD(U). Although, he has clarified that presently there is no LJP minister in the cabinet of Nitish Kumar and the alliance of the party is with the BJP — not with the JD(U). The rift intensified more after the rejoining of HAM(S) led by Jitan Ram Manji, a Dalit who has influence mainly over the Musahar Dalits, into the NDA — a move that LJP believes done by JD(U) to counter the Dalit politics of the party.

Importantly, it is LJP that has requested the BJP high command to ensure that the saffron party contests more seats than JD(U). While LJP is strictly criticizing JD(U), at the same time it is openly supporting the BJP, particularly Narendra Modi.

There is a reason behind this. LJP is aware that BJP is no more the same party it used to be earlier in Bihar. The party has been able to spread its wings among the non-Yadav OBCs and the Dalit communities. The non-Yadav OBCs account for more than 30% of the state population. Chirag needs a piggyback to ride on — and BJP seems to be the best available option for him as of now. Although he can try the RJD led Grand Alliance but there too, space is almost filled up. LJP won’t be able to get the desired 42 seats under the Grand Alliance — as RJD too is aware of the limited political base of Chirag’s party. Even the BJP isn’t much keen to give 42 seats to LJP.

That’s the reason Chirag has been concentrating its target on JD(U) and even has warned that it may field candidates against Nitish’s party. BJP is silently watching this as the saffron party too is busy in an internal tussle with JD(U) on the seat-sharing issue. LJP is resorting to pressure tactics by targeting JD(U) to pressurize both JD(U) and BJP to yield sufficient seats while BJP by keeping silent on JD(U)-LJP rift is indirectly trying to pressurize the JD(U) to accept its demand of at least 50:50 seat-sharing formula. (IPA Service)