Patna: Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Friday dismissed speculation that he is breaking away from the NDA ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, asserting he “has never said” he would quit and that “as long as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is there,” the question of leaving the alliance “does not arise.” He also rejected talk of contesting the state polls solo, calling the buzz “baseless” and attributing it to political rivals trying to sow confusion.
Paswan’s clarification comes amid days of contradictory chatter triggered by selective clips and interpretations of his recent media interactions. Returning to Patna, he underlined that seat-sharing discussions within the NDA are yet to take place and will be settled “inside the alliance,” signaling that LJP(RV) remains committed to coordinated planning with the BJP and JD(U). He added that internal deliberations, including candidate selection and distribution, will be handled collectively once formal negotiations begin.
Even as he reiterated loyalty to the NDA under Modi’s leadership, Paswan maintained his critique-driven posture on governance in Bihar, a stance that has occasionally strained optics with ally JD(U). However, he framed such positions as issue-based and compatible with alliance politics, arguing that robust internal dialogue strengthens rather than weakens pre-poll coordination.
