Why Chirag Paswan Could Still Pull Off A Win Despite Party Coup

The Paswan vote-bank, which kept Chirag's father Ram Vilas Paswan in several central cabinets for years, is still intact and firmly with Chirag Paswan, say LJP leaders backing him.

Chirag Paswan, sidelined in his Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) after a coup led by his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, has launched a fightback that hints at his belief that he will emerge from the crisis with fewer scratches than predicted. Despite the vertical split in the LJP and the reported contribution of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the BJP in facilitating it, there are clear signs that Chirag Paswan still retains an advantage. The Paswan vote-bank, which kept Chirag's father Ram Vilas Paswan in several central cabinets for years, is still intact and firmly with Chirag Paswan, say LJP leaders backing him. The Paswans, who make up six per cent of Bihar's voters, know that Chirag Paswan is isolated in the party but when it comes to their preference, he remains the natural successor to Ram Vilas Paswan, who picked him to lead the party.