"I love him a bit too much": Chirag Paswan on PM Modi, dismisses post-poll alliance speculations

Patna (Bihar) [India], November 10 (ANI): Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Monday expressed his unwavering support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying "I love him a bit too much," emphasising that he's "inseparable" from him.
Speaking with ANI, he dismissed the idea of a post-poll alliance after the Bihar elections, stating he's "not going anywhere" and will remain part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
When asked if Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi might approach him to join the opposition, similar to how his father Ram Vilas Paswan was approached by Sonia Gandhi in 2002, Paswan said that while he does communicate with Priyanka Gandhi, he said, "I do speak with Priyanka ji, and I want to emphasise again that as long as my Prime Minister is there, I am absolutely not going anywhere. My dedication and my love remain. I love him a bit too much," Chirag Paswan said.
Reflecting on his father's political acumen, Paswan recalled how Ram Vilas Paswan was often referred to as a "mausam vaigyanik" (weatherman) for his ability to predict political outcomes, with alliances he joined eventually coming to power.
Talking about the early days of his party, Chirag Paswan noted that the LJP was formed in 2000 and initially aligned with the NDA. However, the party parted ways with the alliance in 2002 and later joined the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) ahead of the 2004 elections, receiving a warm welcome from then-Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
"I am the son of Ram Vilas Paswan ji. Whoever has seen his politics knows that the same values are within me because I am a part of him. My leader and my party have never entered into a post-poll alliance, no matter how many people called him a "weatherman." Whichever alliance he chose to go with always came to power. For example, in 2000, my party was formed. Around 2002, my father parted ways with the NDA, and in 2004, when Sonia ji walked on foot during her campaign, my father joined the UPA," Chirag Paswan said.
Describing Ram Vilas Paswan's shift to the UPA as a "good omen," Chirag Paswan remarked that nobody expected the UPA to come to power at the time, yet once Ram Vilas aligned with them, the government was formed.
"At that time, no one believed that the UPA would form the government the slogan "India Shining, India Shining" was everywhere. The elections were even preponed by six months and held in the summer. But that was a good omen he went there, and the UPA formed the government," he added.
He expressed confidence in the NDA forming a strong government in Bihar, crediting public faith in the "double-engine" government. Paswan has been a key ally of the BJP, and his party is part of the NDA in Bihar.
Chirag had previously referred to himself as PM Modi's "Hanuman," indicating his strong loyalty to the Prime Minister. He has also backed Nitish Kumar as the NDA's chief ministerial candidate in Bihar, while emphasising his party's focus on development and "Bihar First, Bihari First" agenda.
The LJP (RV) chief further stressed the history of not joining any post-poll alliance and noted that his party went into the NDA ahead of the 2014 polls, and their government was formed.
"Exactly ten years later, even if it was because of my insistence, my father decided that we would go with the NDA, and the NDA formed the government. But we have never made a post-poll alliance. We have always fought elections with our chosen alliance and stayed with them. The conclusion is: I am not going anywhere. No matter how many MLAs we have, whether the government is formed or not, I am right here," he said.
Formed in 2000, the Lok Janshakti Party was initially part of the National Democratic Alliance, which had a government in the Centre at that time. However, the party parted ways with the NDA in 2002 following the Godhra riots and joined the UPA in 2004, where the then party chief, Ram Vilas Paswan, held key ministerial portfolios.
Further, in 2014, LJP joined NDA, where Paswan once again held key ministeries under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Following the death of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) founder Ram Vilas Paswan in 2020, tensions emerged between Chirag Paswan and Pashupati Kumar Paras over the party's leadership and control. Subsequently, five of the six LJP Lok Sabha MPs sided with Paras, choosing him as their leader the same year.
In June 2021, the party formally split into two factions: the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), led by Chirag Paswan, and the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party, headed by Pashupati Kumar Paras. While Pashupati Paras was part of the National Democratic Alliance in the 2020 Bihar elections, Chirag Paswan contested the election independently and parted ways with the NDA.
Chirag Paswan later rejoined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where his party achieved a clean sweep, winning all five seats it contested in Bihar. In contrast, Paras did not contest the polls.
In the second phase of the 2025 assembly polls, the NDA will face a major challenge in maintaining its dominance, particularly in its northern Bihar strongholds, including East Champaran, West Champaran, Sheohar, and Sitamarhi districts, where the ruling alliance currently holds sway over 30 assembly seats.
The phase will also decide the fate of 12 ministers from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's cabinet. Among them are JD(U) leaders Vijendra Yadav (contesting from Supaul assembly constituency), Lesi Singh (Dhamdaha), Jayant Kushwaha (Amarpur), Sumit Singh (Chakai), Mohammad Jama Khan (Chainpur), and Sheela Mandal (Phoolparas).
Key ministers from the BJP in the fray include Prem Kumar (Gaya Town), Renu Devi (Bettiah), Vijay Kumar Mandal (Sikati), Nitish Mishra (Jhanjharpur), Neeraj Bablu (Chhatapur), and Krishnanandan Paswan (Harsiddhi). (ANI)