Union Minister Chirag Paswan is set to project his brother-in-law, MP Arun Bharti, as a Deputy CM candidate in the Bihar Assembly polls. Sources say Bharti may contest from Sikandra in Jamui, part of his Lok Sabha seat. If NDA forms the government, Chirag plans to push his name for the top role under the LJP-R quota.
Sikandra is a reserved SC seat. At present, Prabhu Mandal of HAM represents it. Mandal, a two-time MLA and former BPSC officer, comes from a humble family. Arun Bharti, who won the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Jamui, hopes to strengthen his base in the region.
Chirag’s LJP-R also wants the Chakai seat in Jamui. That seat is held by Independent MLA Sumit Singh, a minister in the Nitish Kumar government. Once close to LJP, Sumit now supports JD(U) and NDA.
Seat-sharing talks among BJP, JD(U), and allies are ongoing. Chirag has already declared that Nitish Kumar will remain CM if NDA wins in 2025. But he insists LJP-R will secure a Deputy CM post, showing its rising influence in state politics.
