Can he emulate Ram Vilas’s political legacy? Acid test for Chirag at Hajipur
Besides the RJD, his main challenger, Chirag will also have to overcome the opposition of his uncle, Pasupati Kumar Paras, as well as Bihar CM Nitish Kumar
He is a failed film actor who calls himself the ‘Hanuman’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But Chirag Paswan will have to win the Lok Sabha battle from Hajipur in Bihar to prove that he is indeed the true political successor to his late father, Ram Vilas Paswan.
Only last week, the younger Paswan filed his nomination papers and declared he was confident of winning his ‘karam bhoomi’ Hajipur, which was the political bastion of his father, a member of many a government in New Delhi.
Haijipur will vote on May 20 in the fifth phase of the seven-phase general elections. It is a largely rural constituency in Vaishali district, which lies along the river Gandak. It is reserved for Scheduled Castes.
Chirag’s challenges
Chirag, 41, knows that the challenge is tough. Besides the RJD of Lalu Prasad Yadav, which is his main challenger, Paras will also have to overcome the not-so-silent opposition of his uncle, Pasupati Kumar Paras, as well as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
It has taken Chirag, a computer engineer by training, nearly four years to reach Hajipur after the death of his father, who was a Dalit heavyweight.
"Hajipur is more than a Lok Sabha seat for me. I am the son and a brother of this land. I am contesting from here to fulfil the incomplete works of my father," Chirag tells one election meeting after another.
Ram Vilas stronghold
Though Chirag's party is contesting five Lok Sabha seats, all eyes are on Hajipur. In 2014 and 2019, his Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) won six Lok Sabha seats, including Hajipur.
Chirag had wanted to contest Hajipur after LJP founder and his father Ram Vilas Paswan opted not to contest in 2019 due to ill health. Ram Vilas instead chose his younger brother Pasupati Kumar Paras to contest from Hajipur, upsetting Chirag. Paras won the election.
After Ram Vilas died, Paras revolted against Chirag. The LJP split. Paras formed the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party and was inducted in the Cabinet of Modi as he was supported by five of his six MPs.
BJP’s games
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promptly cast aside Chirag.
Then began a silent but no-holds barred battle between Chirag and Paras. Paras projected himself as the political heir of his brother Ram Vilas Paswan and announced that Chirag will inherit only his father's wealth.
Chirag lobbied with the BJP and convinced them that it is he who mattered on the ground, not his uncle Paras.
Another twist
The BJP now did a U-turn. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it elbowed out the Paras-led RLJP and allotted the Hajipur seat to Chirag.
A furious Paras quit the Modi government. He vowed to contest from Hajipur at any cost but changed his stand following a deal with the BJP.
Paswans reportedly form 5.3 per cent of Bihar’s population. It is the second largest social group in the state after Yadavs. In a state where caste equations play a key role, the numbers matter.
Modi’s Hanuman
Chirag is now busy mobilising people for Modi’s election meeting in Hajipur on May 13. He had once said: “I am Modi’s Hanuman. If I tear open my chest, you will see his image there.”
Chirag’s main opponent is RJD's Shiv Chandra Ram, a former minister and a down-to-earth leader who unsuccessfully contested the last two elections.
But the RJD is not his only concern.
Paras and Nitish
Unlike the last two Lok Sabha elections, there is no visible Modi wave now. His uncle Paras remains disgruntled and can spoil Chirag’s party. Paras and his key men are missing from Chirag’s campaign.
Renu Kushwaha, a female leader of Chirag’s party belonging to an agrarian OBC caste Koeri, and some people belonging to another OBC caste Kurmi, are reportedly telling people not to vote for Chirag.
More important, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is president of the ruling Janata Dal (United), continues to blame Chirag for the JD(U)’s poor showing in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections.
Support, discord
In Hajipur, Chirag has both admirers and critics.
“He is young and charming, a better choice than Paras,” said Hare Ram Paswan, a vendor near the Paswan Chowk.
Sujeet Paswan, a teacher, said Chirag had emerged as the face of the Paswan community (Dusadh). ”There is a sizeable population of Paswans who are overwhelmingly supporting him.”
Battleground Hajipur
Chirag’s support comes down considerably among upper caste Rajputs, Yadavs, Muslims, and Dalit groups.
"As Paras is unhappy, this may pose a big challenge to Chirag. It won’t be a cakewalk for him,” political commentator DM Diwakar warned.
