Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Tuesday said the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) was the biggest beneficiary of the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) split during the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, pushing back against criticism that blamed him for the alliance’s poor showing at the time.
‘Who Benefited From a Divided NDA?’
Speaking at the ABP Network India 2047 Entrepreneurship Conclave today, Paswan said he was repeatedly held responsible for the NDA’s break-up in 2020, but questioned that narrative.
“In 2020, I was held responsible for the NDA’s split. If the blame is put on me, then who benefited from it? The RJD did. They took advantage of a divided NDA,”
he said.
Paswan added that the Bihar electorate has now “permanently rejected” the RJD, asserting that after 2025, the party’s political relevance in the state is effectively over.
He claimed that the RJD and its allies, along with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, had suffered a “crushing defeat”.
‘Alliance Worked Like the Panch Pandav’
When asked about the factors behind the UPA’s win in Bihar, Paswan said multiple elements contributed to the outcome. He compared the alliance partners to the Panch Pandav, underlining what he described as a strong internal equation.
“Collectively, all these reasons together are what were responsible for this win,” he said.
Paswan stressed that performance mattered more than political messaging.
“When your work speaks for you, you don’t have to put in as much effort to explain anything. My work will speak for me — that is what I wait for,” he said.
‘Grateful to My Alliance and the Prime Minister’
Thanking his allies, Paswan said he could not express enough gratitude to his alliance partners and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for placing their trust in him.
He also pointed to NDA’s performance, asking how many seats there were “where the NDA had never won before”.
He clarified that he had never demanded positions or placed conditions before the alliance.
“I never asked for the post of deputy chief minister. I don’t put my demands forward,” Paswan said, adding that he had seen several parties suffer because of excessive demands.
“I never thought we would cross 200 seats. I did not ask for this position either before or after the win,” he added.
On Congress Outreach and Alliance Speculation
Responding to questions on whether the Congress had reached out to him, Paswan said he was unaware of any such meeting. He reiterated his loyalty to the NDA and Prime Minister Modi.
“Everyone knows how much I love my Prime Minister and how much he means to me. That is why I am still part of this alliance. I had an opportunity earlier to go with the Mahagathbandhan, but I did not,”
he said.
Paswan dismissed speculation about alternative political alignments, saying the NDA’s mandate was decisive.
“We don’t need to look for alternatives given the kind of majority we have received,” he said, adding that rumours were often created when there was little else to discuss.
‘Opposition Must Try, But Nothing Will Happen’
Paswan said attempts by the opposition to create political narratives were inevitable.
“The opposition should make efforts. Even if they are trying, it is good for them. But still, nothing will happen,” he remarked.
Welcomes BJP National President From Bihar
Reacting to Nitin Navin’s appointment as BJP’s national president, Paswan called it historic.
“There could not be better news for Biharis. For the first time, a national president has been appointed from Bihar,” he said, adding that the country was now ready to move forward with “youthful energy”.
Paswan concluded by saying that personal equations within the alliance were strong and urged an end to narratives that, according to him, attempted to undermine the Chief Minister and the coalition’s stability.
