NI Bureau
Chirag Paswan, the chief of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), linked the relatively low voter turnout in Bihar during the first phase of Lok Sabha elections to the lack of a challenge faced by the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) in the state.
Mr. Paswan, whose party is contesting five out of Bihar’s 40 seats as part of the BJP-led coalition, predicted that the performance of the opposition bloc, INDIA, would be “worse” than in 2019, when it managed to win only one seat in Bihar.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “The voter turnout in Bihar is low because the opposition here is in a state of atrophy. Although the NDA is expected to perform well overall, it is facing some competition in places like West Bengal, which is why voter turnout was higher there.”
In the first phase of polling, Bihar recorded a turnout of 48.23% across four seats: Jamui, Nawada, Gaya, and Aurangabad. Paswan, who had previously represented Jamui twice, has now shifted his base to Hajipur, his late father Ram Vilas Paswan’s stronghold, and fielded Arun Bharti, his sister’s husband, from Jamui.
Mr. Paswan also raised concerns about a viral video showing people using abusive language at a rally supposedly addressed by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. He criticized Yadav for his “arrogance” as the leader of the largest party in Bihar and reminded him of the LJP’s role in the 2020 assembly polls, which contributed to the JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar’s defeat.
Furthermore, Paswan claimed that despite being led by the BJP, the NDA was gaining popularity among Muslims due to perceived failures of the RJD and Congress governments at the state and central levels. He accused these parties of not adequately representing Muslims despite seeking their votes.
