‘Nitish Kumar the reason for both quitting and returning to NDA’

Chirag Paswan returns to NDA, to contest 2024 LS polls. He speaks of reasons for return, electoral prospects in Bihar and battle for CM's chair. He is locked in tussle over Hajipur LS seat with uncle, Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, who heads rival faction.

After breaking away from the BJP-led NDA in 2020, Chirag Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), announced his formal return to the alliance on July 17. He said his party would be contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha poll in alliance with the BJP and the arrangement would continue for the 2025 Assembly election in Bihar. The Jamui MP is locked in a tussle over the Hajipur Lok Sabha seat, which his late father Ram Vilas Paswan won seven times, with his uncle and Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, who currently holds the seat and heads the rival faction, the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party. Mr. Paswan spoke about the reasons that led to his return to the NDA, his party’s electoral prospects in Bihar, and the battle for the Chief Minister’s chair. Excerpts: