Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan has emerged as a force to reckon with. He was leading in 21 of the 29 seats his party contested by 2pm, strengthening his ambition to project himself as a chief ministerial contender in 2030. His party is set to become the fourth-largest in the state assembly, marking the sharpest rise by any regional outfit in Bihar.

Paswan’s gains stem largely from being part of the NDA alliance this time. In the previous election, when he contested alone, he won only one seat. The additional 20-plus seats now put his party in a position to seek a deputy chief minister post, some political analysts say, as it is set to finish as the third-largest party. Whether Nitish Kumar agrees to such an arrangement remains uncertain, though LJP

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