Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party won only one of the 243 assembly seats — Matihani — despite promising campaign in the run up to the Bihar Assembly Election 2020.. Reacting to the abysmal performance of the LJP, Hindustani Aswam Morcha chief, former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi said the result was Paswan’s own doing as he attempted to cut the same branch where he was sitting on. “The branch has been cut, but he also feel. Apne chirag se bhasm ho gaye hain (he got burnt in his own light),” Manjhi said. HAM managed to win four seats, which — as part of NDA ally — contributed to NDA’s total tally.
LJP had decided to go alone in this election and Paswan had said his only aim was to defeat Nitish Kumar. Going spearately, LJP fielded 137 candidates. During the campaigning, Paswan made it a point to appeal to voters to vote for BJP candidates where there is no LJP candidate. Speculations were rife whether Bihar will get a BJP-LJP coalition as JD(U)’s numbers were poor as well. JD(U), however, managed to win 43 seats.
Chirag Paswan, however, didn’t see the result as a defeat. “I am proud of all LJP candidates who fought without the help of any alliance. We received voters’ love. The vote share of the party has increased. The party organisation has got strengthened in every district. We will reap the benefits of it in future,” Chirag tweeted soon after the results were announced on Tuesday night.
As many as 25 Bharatiya Janata Party rebel leaders had joined the LJP after being denied a ticket by the party. In 2015, the LJP had won two seats after contesting from 42 assembly constituencies.