Will contest Uttar Pradesh, Punjab polls with or without BJP: Chirag Paswan

Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, Chirag Paswan, the president of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) and a key ally of the NDA, has stated that his party is prepared to contest in both states "with or without the BJP". This declaration follows Paswan's recent criticism of the government in Bihar over molestation cases involving minor girls.

Earlier, he had also raised concerns about the Election Commission's handling of issues related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. These recent comments, coupled with Paswan's "Youth Bole Toh" campaign aimed at Generation Z voters, suggest that the LJP(RV) chief is distancing himself from his senior ally, the BJP, while maintaining a strategic distance.

Paswan emphasized that his party had been working diligently in both Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. He clarified that despite being in an alliance with the BJP at the center and in Bihar, the LJP(RV) is willing to contest independently if a seat-sharing arrangement cannot be reached within the NDA. In both states, the LJP(RV) aims to fill the role traditionally occupied by a Dalit party, though Paswan often positions himself as a leader appealing to voters across caste lines rather than solely as a Dalit leader.

In Uttar Pradesh, the party is focusing on targeting Passi voters, who are prevalent in significant numbers in eastern and central regions where the BJP faced setbacks in the last Lok Sabha election. When asked about the strong challenge posed by the Samajwadi Party and Congress alliance to the BJP-led Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, Paswan stated that the two parties are drawing strength from their performance in the Lok Sabha election.

He warned that the coalition's narrative of amending the Constitution cannot be replicated in every election. Paswan also claimed that the Maharashtra results would mirror Uttar Pradesh's political landscape in the 2024 election. He asserted that the opposition's false narrative would fail and a "Maharashtra-like situation" would prevail in Uttar Pradesh.

Paswan stated that his "Youth Bole Toh" campaign is a means to address student grievances and prevent a "volcano of complaints", emphasizing his role as a supportive elder brother rather than a minister. He differentiated his campaign from Rahul Gandhi's efforts, describing them as focused on finding solutions, while Gandhi's was more negative in nature.