Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan has strongly criticized the opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) for its reaction following the NDA’s landslide victory in the Bihar Assembly elections. Paswan accused the opposition bloc, particularly the RJD and Congress, of engaging in a pointless “blame game” instead of self-reflection.

Core Criticisms by Chirag Paswan

Paswan’s critique focused on three main issues:

1. Blaming EVMs and Officials: Paswan argued that the Mahagathbandhan is constantly “Finding fault with every issue, blaming EVMs, and blaming officials.” He suggested that this time could be better spent on internal analysis.”If they spent as much time on their own assessment as they do on finding fault, then Congress and RJD would likely achieve something better.”
2. “Provocative Politics”: He specifically targeted the opposition for citing recent protests in neighboring countries as a potential model for unrest in Bihar.”Yesterday, they stated that an atmosphere similar to that of Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka will be created in India… This is provocative politics.” This was a direct response to RJD’s Sunil Singh’s statements.
3. Use of “Personal Comments”: Paswan linked the opposition’s loss to their use of crude and personal political language during the campaign, which he believes was rejected by the Bihar electorate.”No Bihari tolerates personal comments that go below the limits. The ‘Mahagathbandhan’ has suffered losses due to this repeatedly.”

The RJD’s Contentious Warning

Paswan’s comments regarding “provocative politics” stem from a strong warning issued by RJD leader Sunil Singh just before the counting of votes.

• Sunil Singh’s Claim: Singh claimed that “many of our candidates were forcibly defeated” in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections due to manipulation.
• The Threat: He cautioned election officials against any attempt to tamper with the public mandate in 2025, issuing a severe warning: “If you defeat the person whom the public has given their mandate, the same scenes you witnessed on the roads in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka will be seen on the roads of Bihar as well.”

The Mahagathbandhan, including the RJD and Congress, suffered a significant setback, securing only 35 seats compared to the NDA’s dominant 202 seats (a three-fourths majority) in the 243-member House. This devastating loss amplified the opposition’s allegations of manipulation and foul play.