Want to contest Assembly polls for the sake of Bihar: Chirag Paswan
The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president addressed a rally titled 'Bahujan Bhim Sankalp Samagam' at Rajgir, in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's home district of Nalanda.
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The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
At Nitish's turf, Chirag says Opposition leaders fear his arrival in Bihar
Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan on Sunday (June 29, 2025) pledged to transform Bihar while addressing an impressive crowd at the 'Bahujan Bhim Sankalp Samagam' held in Nalanda's Rajgir, the home district of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. It was Mr. Paswan first public rally after making a formal announcement in Ara three weeks ago that he would contest the upcoming Assembly election. Addressing the large crowd, the Hajipur MP said that such support reflected the people's resolve for social justice and equality. 'To transform and develop Bihar, all Biharis will have to become Chirag Paswan with me. I will contest all 243 seats in Bihar, and wherever there are alliance partners, I will fight as Chirag Paswan so that Bihar becomes the number one State and Biharis too become number ones,' Mr. Paswan said. Also Read | Chirag Paswan: From Parliament to Patna Attacking the Opposition, Mr. Paswan said that since he speaks about the development of Bihar and the education of the youth, the Opposition leaders in Bihar fear his arrival in State politics. 'The family of Lalu Prasad once gave jobs but took away the land of the poor, backward, and Bahujans. Tejashwi Yadav ji is talking about giving jobs again, so tell us, what will they take away this time in return? But I have come to fight selflessly for Bihar and Biharis. I stand as a shield to protect the rights of Bahujans. Today the whole of Bihar is unitedly saying 'Bihar First-Bihari First',' Mr. Paswan said. He pointed out that his father and Dalit leader Ram Vilas Paswan had brought honour to Babasaheb B. R. Ambedkar. He added that Dr. Ambedkar is a God of the Bahujans and his party has always fought and will continue to fight for the rights and respect of the Bahujans. Also Read | People of Bihar will decide from which seat I should contest Assembly polls: Chirag Paswan He urged the people not to fall for the false narrative of the Opposition that the BJP was trying to end reservation in the country, which was raised during the Lok Sabha election. Further attacking the Opposition, he said as long as 'Chirag Paswan is alive, there will be no threat to reservation'. 'The Opposition and the Leader of the Opposition may exert as much force as they want, but they won't be able to divert me from my resolve of 'Bihar First, Bihari First' as long as you all stand firmly with me,' Mr. Paswan told the crowd. Taking a dig at the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Mr. Paswan said when he announced he wanted to return to Bihar, it increased the anxiety of the same people who, in the nineties, forced millions of Biharis to migrate. Analysis | Ahead of polls, all eyes in Bihar on Chirag Paswan's next political move Incidentally, when Mr. Paswan had announced that he would contest the Assembly election, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Mr. Yadav, had asked him to clarify if he wanted to become the Chief Minister. Through the rally, Mr. Paswan gave a clear indication that he was looking to expand his voter base and did not want to restrict himself to votes of the Paswan community, which accounts for nearly 5.33% of the State population. Overall, Scheduled Castes constitute 19.65% of the State's population, as per the latest caste survey. 'Until I make Bihar a developed State, I will neither rest nor tire. This is not just a promise, it is my resolve. Be it children or the elderly, women or youth, people from every section will be united under Chirag's leadership to empower the resounding voice of the Bahujan movement. This is not just a gathering, but a resolve of Bahujan self-confidence and dedication,' Mr. Paswan said. Also Read | Caste enumeration is the need of the hour: Chirag Paswan He added, 'In the era of Indira Gandhi, the Constitution was murdered and Emergency was imposed. Today, the INDIA bloc, sitting on the lap of that same Congress, is championing democracy!' Mr. Paswan urged the people to ask RJD leaders why they supported the Congress now after going to jail for opposing the Emergency. 'People should further question those leaders, who themselves suffered during the Emergency, why have had forgotten everything in their greed for power,' he said.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
'Bihar first, Bihari first': Chirag Paswan reveals reason behind his Bihar poll entry; says opposition all 'jittery'
Chirag Paswan Union minister Chirag Paswan on Sunday said that he wants to contest the upcoming assembly elections 'for the sake of Bihar,' and brushed aside attempts by 'jittery' rivals to block his path. Addressing a rally titled Bahujan Bhim Sankalp Samagam at Rajgir in Nalanda, the home district of CM Nitish Kumar, Paswan slammed the opposition INDIA bloc, accusing them of misleading voters. He urged people to be careful against the 'false narrative' of the bloc which 'alleged during the Lok Sabha polls last year that the Constitution will be under threat if Prime Minister Narendra Modi got a third consecutive term.' "They are trying to play the same trick again in the run up to assembly polls. But you must remember that the worst attack on Constitution came during the Emergency when the Congress was in power and countless young men, mostly Dalits, minorities and OBCs, had been forcibly sterilised,' said the Lok Janshakti Party president. The Hajipur MP further criticised the Congress for allegedly using minority concerns as a political tool. 'Today the Congress and its allies are busy trying to present themselves as the champions of minorities by attending a rally in Patna where they are opposing the Waqf Act which had been brought for the benefit of poor Muslims. They should be asked about the Turkman Gate massacre,' he said. Paswan also took aim at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for aligning with the Congress 'just for the sake of power'. He challenged him to 'seek an apology from Rahul Gandhi for excesses during the Emergency, the sufferers of which include his own father (RJD president Lalu Prasad)'. He went on to attack Rahul Gandhi for 'carrying a red copy of the Constitution', accusing the Congress of sidelining Babasaheb Ambedkar while in power. 'It was the government of VP Singh, supported by the BJP, in which my idol and father late Ram Vilas Paswan a minister, that Bharat Ratna was given to Babasaheb, his picture was installed in Parliament and the report of Mandal Commission, put by the Congress in cold storage, was implemented,' he said. Talking about the issue of reservation, Paswan said that the opposition keeps on raising a "false alarm." 'The opposition keeps raising the false alarm that reservation will be scrapped. Let me give you the guarantee that this is not going to happen, as long as Chirag Paswan is alive,' he assured the people. Reflecting upon his comeback to the Bihar politics, he said that it symbolised people coming back to the state after fleeing from the lawlessness during the RJD rule. 'Many people are jittery that I want to come to Bihar. They are trying to know whether I will be contesting elections here. I wish to tell them, I want to contest assembly polls for the sake of Bihar. So that my dream of Bihar First, Bihari First is realised,' he said. Paswan said that even though hurdles are being placed through his way, he won't be discouraged, adding that previous attempts to weaken him by splitting his party and creating rifts in his family had failed. He urged his party workers to spread out across all 243 assembly constituencies and campaign for the NDA's victory with the same determination as if he himself were contesting. 'You give me NDA's victory in assembly polls. I will give you a developed Bihar,' he added.
India Gazette
6 hours ago
- India Gazette
"BJP's tactics of spreading fear not going to work" Tejashwi Yadav
Patna (Bihar) [India], June 29 (ANI): Rashtriya Janata Dal leader (RJD) Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday slammed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), while countering the ruling alliance's 'Jungle Raj' jibe, saying that their 'tactics of spreading fear are not going to work'. The State faces assembly elections later in the year. Addressing at the Vaishya Representative Conference in Patna, Tejashwi Yadav questioned Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led NDA alliance in Bihar over trade and asserted that never talk about those issues but only about jungle raj. 'We have been in opposition for the last 20 years, and they are still crying over us. Why are they not taking accountability for their work? What have they done? What's their blueprint to increase trade in Bihar? How will they make small enterprises more beneficial? They'll never talk about that. They will say that Jungle Raaj will come. I have also been the Deputy CM for 18 months. Did the people not come out of their homes? BJP's tactics of spreading fear are not going to work in this age,' Tejashwi Yadav said. Tejashwi Yadav also highlighted Bihar's increasing poverty, unemployment and crime rates. 'If you will look at the NITI Aayog's report, Bihar is no.1 in poverty, migration, and unemployment. There are no industries. If they (the NDA government) had even opened one sugar mill, then you tell me. Bihar is at the bottom in terms of education and health. NCRB's data says that after 2005, crime has continuously increased. What steps have been taken to create a safer environment? Has the chief minister visited any victim's house to share their grief?' Tejashwi Yadav said. Tejashwi Yadav reaffirmed that the RJD want to give Bihar a government that prioritises education, healthcare, income, and many other issues, while firing shots at Nitish Kumar, saying that there is neither justice nor development in Bihar. 'We want to give Bihar a government where there is education, healthcare, income, irrigation, listening, and action. Today, there is neither listening nor action. Today, you can go anywhere and see that there is immense corruption. Nitish Kumar talks about Jungle Raj, but gives parole to such criminals who keep AK-47 at their house. Today, there is neither justice nor development in Bihar... We have always stood with the public of the state,' Yadav said. Ahead of the Assembly Election in Bihar, Leaders of the BJP, Janata Dal-United JD (U) and other constituents of the NDA have been reminding people of Bihar of 'jungle raj' under Lalu Prasad, saying there was a significant neglect of infrastructure, including roads, electricity, healthcare, and education. RJD leaders, on their part, have said that people will vote for change in Bihar polls and that the state continues to face problems of poverty and unemployment. (ANI)
