PATNA: Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Thursday asserted that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would contest the 2025 Bihar assembly elections under the leadership of chief minister Nitish Kumar and win more than 200 seats.
Talking to media persons on the sidelines of the LJP (RV) foundation day celebration, Chirag said that he was making such claims on the basis of the performance of the ruling alliance in recently held bypolls for four seats. NDA won all the four seats in by-election.
"Our strike rate was 100%. We registered our victory in all four seats, which went to poll on November 13. People have lent their support to the NDA in the by-elections," he told the media.
Chirag said that the outcome of the elections showed that people have faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the centre and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the state. The NDA will achieve its target of bagging 225 seats in assembly elections, he added.
In response to a media query, Chirag said that the seat arrangements would be decided within the alliance partners, which can't be shared with the media.
"I can't make any predictions about seats allotted to our party but we will maintain our strike rate of 100%," he revealed. He said that Delhi will go to polls before the assembly elections in Bihar. "If our party is given the opportunity to contest the elections in Delhi, we will try to maintain the same strike rate," he said.
When asked about his uncle and former union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, Chirag alleged that Paras tried to ensure the defeat of the NDA despite being a part of the alliance. "He (Paras) even snatched our party office," he added.
LJP(RV) chief said that the workers of the party would move to villages to apprise people of welfare schemes launched by the NDA government. "We have already started preparations for the assembly elections," he asserted.