Bihar Elections 2025: Posters project Chirag Paswan as NDA’s CM face

September 9, 2025

Patna: With the Bihar Assembly elections just weeks away, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJPRV) has intensified efforts to project party chief Chirag Paswan as the chief ministerial candidate of the NDA in the state.

On Tuesday, a poster surfaced in Patna hailing Chirag as the “Kohinoor of Bihar.” Released by Imam Gazali, LJPRV’s Sheikhpura district president, it featured the slogan: “Bihar Mange Chirag: Tan-Badan Ka Noor Hai, Chirag Bihar ka Kohinoor Hai.” The poster depicted him wearing a king’s crown, underscoring his supporters’ demand for him to lead the state.

Electoral Performance and Seat Demands

LJPRV leaders point to the party’s clean sweep in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where it contested and won all five allotted seats, as proof of Chirag’s popularity and political strength.

The party is pushing for a significant share of Assembly seats this year. Arun Bharti, MP from Jamui and Chirag’s brother-in-law, recalled that LJPRV contested 43 seats in the 2015 Assembly polls as part of the Mahagathbandhan, and 137 seats in 2020 after breaking away from the NDA. Based on this history, the party expects between 43 and 137 seats in the upcoming elections, depending on seat-sharing negotiations.

Rising Profile and Possible Tensions in NDA

Chirag’s “Bihar Mange Chirag” campaign aims to position him as both a youth icon and a credible contender for the CM post within the NDA. However, his rising profile could spark tensions with larger NDA allies — JD(U) and BJP — who have traditionally dominated Bihar politics.

Coalition Challenges and Other Allies’ Demands

Seat-sharing talks in the NDA have become a major challenge as the elections draw closer. While BJP and JD(U) work to finalise their strategies, smaller allies are making assertive demands.

Adding to the complexity, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) founder and former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi has sought 20 Assembly seats. While smaller than LJPRV’s claim, his demand further complicates the NDA’s internal seat distribution arithmetic.