Patna: With just a day left before nominations open for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections on November 6, Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan has emerged as the most intriguing player in Bihar’s shifting political theatre. Talks over seat sharing within the NDA remain unresolved, and the 41-year-old leader, son of the late Ram Vilas Paswan—once dubbed the “Mausam Vaigyanik” (weather scientist) of Indian politics—is scripting his own version of political suspense.
While the BJP insists that discussions are “progressing well,” sources say Chirag has not budged from his demand for 35 seats, rejecting the BJP’s offer of 25. His insistence on key constituencies has also brought him into quiet contention with other NDA allies, including Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, whose HAM (Secular) party has publicly warned it may “sit out” the polls if offered fewer than 15 seats.
The BJP’s election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan and co-in-charge Vinod Tawde met Chirag in Delhi for 45 minutes on Tuesday in what insiders describe as a “tense but cordial” conversation. Yet, Chirag’s characteristic calm—and refusal to commit—has kept speculation alive.
Adding to the intrigue are rumours that the LJP (Ram Vilas) chief may be exploring informal communication channels with Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj, the political platform positioning itself as an alternative to both the NDA and the Grand Alliance.
Both camps have denied the possibility of any alliance, but the timing—Jan Suraaj releasing its first list of 100 candidates on Thursday and Chirag calling an emergency meeting of his party’s top functionaries in Patna on the same day—has fuelled talk of a political wildcard.
“It’s all bogus rumours,” a senior Jan Suraaj insider told PatnaPress. “Prashant ji respects Chirag, but he has made it clear there will be no pre- or post-poll alliance. We are contesting all 243 seats. Besides, Chirag seems half-committed to Bihar politics—he’s still too attached to his ministerial seat in Delhi.”
Meanwhile, speaking in Shaharbanni, Khagaria, his ancestral village, on the death anniversary of his father and LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan, Chirag appeared unfazed. “The media should not spread misleading news. Discussions within the NDA are moving well, and the decision will come at the right time. My demand is simple—Bihar first, Biharis first,” he said.
आज मेरे नेता रामविलास पासवान की पुण्यतिथि पार्टी के हर कार्यकर्ता के लिए संकल्प दिवस के रूप में है। बिहार और बिहारियों को फर्स्ट बनाने की सोच के साथ LJP(R) का हर कार्यकर्ता चुनावी रण में उतरेगा। लक्ष्य बिहार को एक विकसित राज्य बनाना है : @iChiragPaswan pic.twitter.com/dIeo6N23zF
— Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) (@LJP4India) October 8, 2025
Senior BJP leaders privately view Chirag’s stance as a “pressure tactic” rather than a genuine threat. “He does this before every election. His Lok Sabha strike rate was good, but Assembly elections are a different story. We’ve offered him a respectable deal,” a BJP functionary said.
The unease, however, is not entirely unfounded. In 2020, Chirag’s rebellion against JD(U) after severing ties with the NDA fractured votes and damaged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s tally, leaving a lasting imprint on Bihar’s political memory.
As both NDA and the Grand Alliance prepare to unveil their seat-sharing formulas anytime now, Thursday’s LJP (Ram Vilas) meeting could be pivotal. Whether Chirag stays within the fold or carves a path of his own, his deliberate ambiguity continues to keep Bihar’s political barometer swinging—just as his father once did.
