Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) national president Chirag Paswan issued a stark warning to the opposition on Sunday, stating that its continued conduct could see its numbers plummet to a single-digit figure in the next election. The strong retort came in response to comments made by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.
Sharp Rebuttal to Tejashwi's 'Mandate by Deceit' Jab
Earlier, Tejashwi Yadav, upon returning to Patna after a vacation, had taken a swipe at the ruling dispensation, stating, "The people lost and the system won." He further claimed everyone understood how much the public accepted a mandate achieved through "deceit, trickery, and the misuse of machinery."
Chirag Paswan, who met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar along with party state president Raju Tiwari and minister Sanjay Paswan, launched a counter-offensive. He accused the opposition of consistently blaming the system, EVMs, or other mechanisms whenever they face defeat. "They talk about stealing votes, but their public base has been stolen," Paswan asserted.
He pointed out the inconsistency in the opposition's stance, noting that they readily accept victories and form governments in states but refuse to introspect on their repeated losses since the 2010 polls. "If they don't do this churning, the day is not far when possibly the number of the leader of opposition's post might not even be with the opposition," he cautioned.
On CAA, Congress, and Upcoming 'Aabhaar Yatra'
The LJP(RV) chief also addressed broader national issues, alleging that attempts were made to disrupt the country's atmosphere in the name of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). He specifically targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of trying to "spoil the atmosphere in Bihar" by raising a "false issue of vote theft in the name of SIR."
Looking ahead, Chirag Paswan announced he would embark on a statewide 'Aabhaar Yatra' after January 14 to thank the people for ensuring his party's victory in the elections. On a lighter note, he also revealed he had invited CM Nitish Kumar to the Makar Sankranti feast on January 15.
Eye on Bengal & Assam, Advice for Tejashwi
Setting his sights beyond Bihar, Chirag Paswan confirmed his party's willingness to contest the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam. He stated the goal was to return the NDA to power in both states, though no final decision on seat-sharing had been made. "The party will decide its strategy. Ultimately, the aim remains forming an NDA govt," he emphasized, adding his current focus was on strengthening the party organisation.
Responding to Tejashwi Yadav's statement that he would not speak for the next 100 days, Paswan delivered a biting remark: "Don't speak even for five years. You will speak only if you have something to say." He challenged the opposition to explain why the public rejected them so decisively, adding, "Ask us questions, this is the beauty of democracy, and we are ready to answer."
In other developments, the Union Minister also commented on the renaming of the MNREGA scheme, stressing that the discussion should be on the merit of the Act rather than its name. He also appointed Ved Prakash Pandey as the party coordinator during a press conference.
