Patna, July 7: Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Sunday announced that he will contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly election, vowing to work for the state’s “better future” and to fulfil the vision of his late father, Ram Vilas Paswan.
Speaking at a rally in Saran district, bordering his Hajipur Lok Sabha seat, Paswan said the time had come to take responsibility for Bihar’s development. “I will contest the elections for the people of Bihar, for my brothers, mothers and sisters. We will build a system that truly takes Bihar forward,” he said.
Paswan also extended his support for a domicile-based employment policy in government jobs — a contentious issue in the state. He is currently the only leader within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to publicly back the measure, which has been a long-standing demand among Bihar’s youth.
“The youth of Bihar have been demanding this for years,” he said, noting that a domicile policy was first introduced in 2006 but later withdrawn by opposition parties. He criticised the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress, accusing them of misleading the public and failing to address youth concerns.
RJD leader and Opposition figure Tejashwi Yadav has pledged full implementation of the domicile policy if elected, while the current NDA state government, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has ruled out such a move, citing constitutional constraints.
Paswan also took aim at the RJD over its past governance, saying those talking about development today were responsible for the state’s decline in the 1990s. He warned that the opposition could introduce inheritance taxes if they return to power.
The LJP leader voiced concern over rising crime in Bihar following the alleged murder of businessman Gopal Khema in a high-security area of Patna. “If such incidents happen in the heart of the capital, imagine the situation in villages,” he told reporters. “There is a collapse of law and order, and strict action must be taken to prevent recurrence.”
While Paswan’s party remains part of the NDA at the national level, he has not confirmed whether the LJP will contest the Bihar elections in alliance with the NDA. Concluding his address with a call for inclusive development, Paswan reiterated his slogan: “Bihar First, Bihari First,” pledging to build a system centred on the aspirations of the state’s people.
