Chirag Paswan is one of the youngest leaders both at the Centre and in his home state Bihar. At 42, he is the face of a new generation coming out of the shadows of their elders and reshaping the course of politics. After the death of his father, the legendary Dalit leader Ram Vilas Paswan, and the dramatic split of his Lok Janshakti Party, he won five of the five seats his party contested in the 2024 national elections showing how his appeal cuts across caste and community. He speaks to Anant Goenka and Vandita Mishra about how politics in India has changed, how unlike his “mausam vigyani” (weatherman) father who remained Union Minister under six prime ministers, he looks at his future more in the state than the Centre — and how his politics needs to respond to the changing aspirations of the young.
I would have agreed with you a decade ago. I had the same feeling then that people were not connecting with politicians. It had become fashionable to say, ‘I don’t understand politics’. If you don’t understand politics, how can you demand change? The younger generation, especially, had a major disconnect. They started reconnecting with politics in 2014. I’m one of them. At that time, my party and my father were in a different alliance but I was adamant that we go ahead with the NDA because it was led by our current Prime Minister.
Anant Goenka: In 2012-13, I was told that to do well in the digital space in India one had to do ABCD: Astrology, Bollywood, Cricket and Devotion. But P (for politics) got added to the list with the 2014 elections because of PM Narendra Modi, and to a certain degree, Arvind Kejriwal .
I am a little biased when I talk about my PM, but I got to know how people work through my father (Ram Vilas Paswan). He worked with six prime ministers — VP Singh, Deve Gowda, IK Gujral, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh and Modi. I have this habit of asking questions and liked listening to stories of what used to happen in those days. As a ‘nepo kid’, I was fortunate to be in the same House in the Lok Sabha, when papa was also there, from 2014 to 2019. We used to sit together, and I would ask him questions like, ‘When Indira ji was PM, where would she sit?’ Similarly, I asked him how different was it to work with PM Modi. He used to say that Modi means work, you have to be on your toes, you can’t take your department lightly. Today, ministers in the government are accountable. The PM reviews things regularly.
Vandita Mishra: The BJP does not really talk to its opponents. Your father’s kind of politics believed in conversations with everyone. Is that missing in your ally, and in today’s politics?
Everyone deals with this individually. What runs in my veins is my father’s blood, the culture that he taught me. I am the same as he was. I have good friends across all parties, including in the Opposition. In Bihar, the biggest Opposition party is Laluji’s RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal ). I have a good relationship with his entire family. I have always addressed Tejashwi as my younger brother. I believe that political differences can be put aside, but personal relationships are important. This is what I have seen and learnt from my father. There will be debates in Parliament and there will be opposition to policy, but there will be no personal opposition. My father never attacked anyone and he kept those personal relationships he had across party lines.
The BJP is very clear with their strategy and they have a different way of dealing with things, but I am carrying forward my father’s tradition.
The audience at the event in Delhi
Anant Goenka: Many regional parties that ally with BJP at the Centre tend to get diminished. Look at Shiv Sena, Akali Dal, Telugu Desam Party. Does that concern you?
I believe that if you stay strong, no one can just eat you up. In your state, you need to have your own identity and connect with the people. With regional parties it is immediately visible. These are small parties that have a small support base. You are limited to the state and if you will leave that connection with people and you stay put here (in Delhi) for your greed for power, there won’t be a continued relationship with your people. Any alliance will keep you only if you have a support base. Honestly, the day I think I have achieved everything and I stop going to Bihar, if I get intoxicated with the lust for power, that day will be the beginning of my downfall. The day I miss my connection with Bihar, that day will be the end of me. Eventually, the BJP will see they have no need for me. It is my responsibility to stay relevant.
Vandita Mishra: Earlier, in coalition politics there used to be coordination mechanisms, committees. There is nothing of the sort in the Modi-led NDA. Why does no ally demand institutional mechanisms for coalition coordination within the NDA?
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In 2014, we were one of the parties supporting the government but there was no need for a coalition. It was a full majority government. Even in 2019, there was a government with full majority, though it is not now. So, since it wasn’t there for the last 10 years, we don’t miss such an arrangement. People sit together, conversations happen. If I want to speak to my PM, I can do that. If there is any other issue, I can talk to the national president (of the BJP) or Home Ministerji. They are always available to address my concerns.
Anant Goenka: Is it difficult to think of a regional party outside of a family?
I can’t shy away from the fact that I am an outcome of the same. The example of the Opposition is before us. If the ability is not there, if you are here just because of nepotism… I believe that being a child of a big personality can be a privilege but it cannot be your ability. Privilege can help you get a chance but only your ability will take you there. Yes, I am a nepo kid, but if I did not have the ability, not that I am praising myself, but if it was not there, I couldn’t have brought the party back to where it was, where my father had left it. I would have been alone otherwise. I am back to my five MPs. Eventually, everything boils down to your potential and capabilities. If you have it in you, only then will you be able to take it forward.
Anant Goenka: If Chirag Paswan said today, ‘I want to be one of the biggest Bollywood stars, I don’t want to be in politics.
I tried doing that. You know how miserably I failed.
Anant Goenka: What if you didn’t fail? What happens to the regional party then?
It doesn’t happen that way. You are a regional party because the people of that state relate to you. There is no reason for anyone to think it is because of a family. Today, mine is a regional party based in Bihar. I go with the thought of ‘Bihar First, Bihari First’. I know what the concerns of Bihar are, issues of migration, children who go out of Bihar never come back. Another national party coming to Bihar will not understand that.
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Vandita Mishra: In Bihar, as elections approach, it seems that the space Nitish Kumar occupies is opening up, for every other party to fight for. He brought many changes in Bihar, but that story has plateaued. You were once Nitish’s antagonist, now you are his ally. How do you see him today?
I agree. We have reached a point of saturation. In 2005, he (Nitish Kumar) emerged as an alternative to jungle raj, he handled the failing economy, took care of the law and order situation. Over time, the speed has declined. The political space that you mentioned, may be right or wrong but this is also an irony of my state, that space is intact because the politics of my state is largely governed by the caste system. I am against it but it is also a reality. Eventually when elections come, it all boils down to caste. Bihar is a state where you can decide a poll on paper. You can fight and you can decide victory or defeat because it’s all about the caste equation. It is wrong, it should not happen. But that kind of support is still the strength of the Chief Minister. In the coming elections, the NDA alliance will be united and we will have a historic victory. I believe that if we get seats like Belaganj and Tarari, we will definitely win. This time, we will get 225 plus if we go with the same equation. The political space is strong right now.
Anant Goenka: Do you think women are as drawn to identity as the male voter or do they vote for the same considerations that men vote for?
I’m not going to generalise but I will talk about my state. There, the women are strongly with the Chief Minister. The men in their homes may vote for any other alliance or party, but the women are connected to the Chief Minister and his policies… Women don’t go for caste equations compared to men. Men are very clear that votes must go for this caste or that but for women it’s not that important. For them, work is important — who has brought in the ban on alcohol, because for her it’s about the husband, he has stopped being a drunkard. It’s also about who gives facilities.
Anant Goenka: Do women find direct cash transfers more valuable and empowering?
I don’t know of cash in the bank but I think collectively there are a lot of things responsible. The sense of security was a big concern in the ’90s. We have seen that decade. Women used to call it jungle raj. I was a teenager then but I could understand what was going on — murder, loot, robbery, rape. I think the leadership that gives a sense of security and cash in the bank could (make a) difference. It gives an opportunity (for them) to move ahead. I think all these reasons are collectively responsible for women’s votes.
Anant Goenka: Is it a concern that in every state it is a race to the bottom, in terms of how much money the government is promising to give?
Yes, this is true of late and it is a concern. I believe that as a taxpayer, the government must take some responsibility. I don’t want anyone to put the cash directly into my account but a day should come when education should be free at least till the primary level and quality education should be provided. Health facilities should be free, because it’s your money, what you are providing is not a free service. You pay tax.
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We are a developing nation, so a major chunk of that money is still being utilised in infrastructure development. I do believe and want to manifest that post-2047, when India becomes a developed nation, the resources will be used for services.
Vandita Mishra: The next election in Bihar will also see a generation change. Everyone seems to be striking out, trying to say something different. Tejashwi is saying, ‘don’t call us M-Y (Muslim-Yadav) party, we are an A-to-Z party’. You are saying I will not talk about caste, but about Bihar. Prashant Kishor is saying the same thing — raising issues of education and migration. Do you think the way the Bihar election is fought is changing?
This is what democracy is. The beauty of democracy is that the more options you have, the more democracy becomes stronger. The more people it has, the better it is. I am also working on the M-Y equation. But M stands for mahila and Y is for youth. I have made it happen in the Lok Sabha. My party contested in just five seats and two of those were women. We need to raise the concerns of people without dividing them into castes or on the basis of religion. I speak for at least 14 crore Biharis. Today, every Bihari who leaves Bihar is out of the caste competition. When Biharis are ahead (everywhere), then why is Bihar so far behind? It’s because when you are in Bihar, you are not a Bihari, you are known as upper caste, backward, Dalit, Muslim and so on.
Anant Goenka: You’ve said so many things, but never mentioned corruption as a problem in Bihar.
Corruption is a problem in Bihar but I didn’t mention it because right now, people are facing bigger problems. First, we need to elect the right people who will make your voice heard in Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha.
You need (someone with a) vision.
Anant Goenka: You don’t think corruption has had a cost in Bihar?
Of course yes! We all remember the ’90s era — corruption was a huge concern.
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Anant Goenka: What is the motivation for a young person to enter politics today?
I think today there is a very positive cause. Earlier, politics used to be a bit directionless. One had to do caste politics, communal politics. There was Mandal, there was Kamandal, then there was the Emergency. But today, my PM has set that goal of a developed nation. Now everybody knows what contribution they have to make. The target is in front of you: Amrit Kaal 2047.
Vandita Mishra: You and your party supported the Waqf Bill, but don’t you agree that the community for which this is a reform is not persuaded?
Some things need to be left to time. At times you just can’t be convinced because the counter narrative is so strong. The same thing happened during CAA. There was an atmosphere of disturbance in the whole country. A Bill that was made a law to grant citizenship, the Opposition framed the narrative saying it was about taking away citizenship. The stand-off at Shaheen Bagh was created in Delhi. Tell me, how many Muslims have had their citizenship taken away? Today, the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) issue is settled.
The next was for Article 370. Then, too, the atmosphere was once again created that the whole country would burn. They said that democracy will cease to exist, there will be no elections. But then, elections were held, and Omar Abdullahji is there.
I am fully in support of minorities. I am half a minority myself. My mother is a Punjabi, a Sardarni. I fight for the rights of minorities. If I know that there is some injustice happening to Muslims, I will be the first person (to stand up). I can stand up to my government and say things when things go wrong. I am in the alliance but I am not the BJP. That is why I am an ally, because my ideology is different.
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I had read the (Waqf) Bill myself. I read it when the JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee) was formed. The government wanted it even at that time. They had the numbers and could have brought it to the House. We held strong views and said that this should go to the JPC. There were many Muslims in it, many organisations have shown their support. What are the issues in this Bill? Why has a Collector been added? When you are dealing with land disputes, the custodian is the Collector, he will tell whose land it is. There will be concerns among those who have established a hegemony of their own. I am saying trust, eventually it will come with time. This is for those Muslims who have no space to raise their voice.
When my government talks of sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas, it talks about everyone’s efforts. Changes have been made in everything from time to time, in every religion. I am a Hindu, I say that there were evils even in the Hindu system. Was there not sati and child marriage and haven’t all these things changed with time? We made a positive change where it is needed.
Anant Goenka: The industries under your ministry have a lot to do with exports and some imports. How will US tariffs impact food processing?
Definitely, (tariffs) will affect every sector. Having said that, my ministry still has enough space to grow. It is an untapped sector.
Vandita Mishra: But there are hardly any processing units in Bihar.
It is not that there are no units in Bihar, but definitely not to the extent that they should be there. States like Bihar and Punjab, which are agriculture-based, can be converted into processing hubs. We can also easily accomplish the goal we have set: to emerge as a global food basket. The demand for processed food is growing due to lifestyle changes. In joint families, someone used to get vegetables, someone used to cook, now we have nuclear families, working couples, and all that creates a need for ‘Ready to Cook’, ‘Ready to Eat’.
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Anant Goenka: Having lived the joint family lifestyle, is there some part of you that misses that world of a kitchen always running, fresh vegetables, freshly cooked food to now microwaving kaali daal that was cooked a year ago?
Not at all. Being a food processing minister, I don’t subscribe to the view that it’s only good if it’s fresh. We have to understand that processing adds value to the food, makes it more healthy. I closely monitor the work of our regulatory bodies which ensure all this is done safely.
Processing also gives value addition and enhances the quality of food. Through this, farmers can be made financially strong too. You can improve the quality of a product, create job opportunities.
Anant Goenka: How seriously should you take somebody on a random YouTube Channel, who has made a stupid statement?
If you don’t take that seriously now, eventually it will go out of hand. Unless I tell you what you are doing is wrong, one fine day, 10 years from now, it will be blown out of proportion. Then, you cannot control it. A child has to be taught his limits in childhood. If you won’t tell him that you are doing wrong, then he will think it’s normal, then how will you control him as a 20-year-old?
Anant Goenka: You come across as a fairly liberal person. Are you concerned about civil liberties and free speech?
Yes, I am concerned about free speech and I have spoken strongly (about it).
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Vandita Mishra: When a mob attacked the venue where Kunal Kamra performed, did you say anything?
I did not. See, I am completely for freedom of speech, in favour of it, but when you can fight for your rights, you should also fulfil your duties. Of course, you can register your protest but in such a case if you cross that limit, I am not in favour. This applies to political leaders also who give hate speeches. Whenever the limits of words are violated, even by my allies, I have very clearly expressed my point.
(From right) Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan with Vandita Mishra, National Opinion Editor, The Indian Express,
and Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group
🔴 The one lesson you’ve learned from Prashant Kishor, the political strategist?
He’s a good friend, but I’ve never questioned him like I would a political strategist.
🔴 Hindu, Hinduism or Hindutva, which word do you like the most?
Is secularism an option?
🔴 Do you struggle with these options?
I don’t. I am a Hindu and in favour of the Hindutva thought but this is a personal belief. I am a strong advocate of the thinking that political parties should not interfere with religion. It should be a matter of personal faith.
🔴 Your father was an atheist and never wore religion on his sleeve. Do you see that changing?
I don’t know if it’s hard to be an atheist in politics or not but then I am not. I’m not an atheist and I am absolutely unapologetic about that. I’m a believer, I am religious, I am spiritual and I am okay with that.
🔴 The one election issue that matters less today for our generation than it did in your father’s generation?
For decades, it was the Ram temple and then Article 370.
🔴 The one election issue that matters more today than it used to earlier?
I would want to believe ‘development’.
🔴 The one election issue that matters the same today as it did earlier?
Caste. It was always a strong issue.
🔴 The one thing you miss about your father’s generation of politicians?
The off-the-record relationships, visiting each other’s homes. Nowadays, people are afraid: ‘what if my president saw it?’. This was not there before. I have seen papa meet people across party lines over lunch and dinner. There used to be laughter, there were definitely political issues which were addressed very strongly, but personal relations were maintained beautifully.
🔴 One thing that should change about your dad’s generation of politicians?
We could have been more aggressive. We wasted a lot of time, especially when we had back-to-back coalition governments in the ’90s. There was VP Singh’s United Front, then later governments were formed for less than a year. If we had consolidated then and had a target to be achieved, we would have progressed more.
🔴 A piece of advice you have for (Aditya) Thackeray? They were in the alliance and now they are struggling to find their identity in Maharashtra with the BJP.
When you enter politics, you should have clarity of thought. If I need to do any work it becomes easier because I know if it’s a yes, then I’ll say yes; if it is no, then I will not say it just because I am part of an alliance. Regarding the alliance, if you join the Congress, then your so-called ideology of Hindutva has mellowed down. I believe you should be clear about your ideology. If in the early days itself you compromise on ideologies, then you will not be able to enhance your political personality or brighten it.
🔴 The one way you find yourself different from Tejashwi Yadav?
I am more fit.
🔴 The one way you are similar, that both of you are united about?
We both value families and our parents.
🔴 The one mistake your father made in politics that you have learned from?
I can’t call it a mistake. It all depends on the circumstances. But I think opportunity doesn’t knock again and again and when it does, you should make the best of it. The opportunity came to us in 2005. My father had a chance to lead the state. He chose not to. We missed that opportunity.
🔴 The one thing that excites you and the one thing that scares you about artificial intelligence?
There are a lot of things that scare me. I don’t know about excites. We were a generation that knew life without mobile phones. But today children get panic attacks if they don’t get screen time… I am assuming that with the arrival of all these things we don’t know our own origins… This is the element that we are losing, which really scares me.
🔴 If you find yourself at a PVR multiplex and there are only two films playing, one directed by Karan Johar and the other has Kangana Ranaut as the lead actor, which film will you watch?
I will choose whosoever’s story is good.
Amar Sinha
Amar Sinha
Chief Operating Officer, Radico Khaitan
We’ve seen a positive
Change in the perception of Uttar Pradesh as an industry-friendly state. Bihar has a lot of potential, How can that be achieved?
The irony of our state is that we have been caught up in casteism and communalism. I think the change has started. Like the PM said, what worked in UP is its double engine government. This is important for the development of any state. For the longest time, my state had a sort of ‘virodh bhav ki sarkarein’ (governments who opposed), where the state government and Centre were opposed to each other. In a federal system, both the Centre and state governments have powers and did not pursue each other’s schemes. Whatever was left, was ruined by the caste system. People kept choosing their MLA, MP based on caste. There is now gradual awareness. In the 2014 elections, I felt people had broken the bonds of caste and communalism, for development. Bihar needs a vision, it has endless possibilities… We should, for instance, explore religious tourism… So many Bihari students go to Kota to study, where most educational institutions are owned by Biharis and where teachers are Bihari. Yet, the infrastructure is in Rajasthan. We should make it in Bihar itself.
Niranjan Dugar
Niranjan Dugar
Managing Director, Kld Impex
Where do you see yourself 20 years from now?
I Want to go back to Bihar. My father was very clear that he wanted to stay in central politics. I entered politics because of my state. I used to work in Mumbai. At the time, a regional party used to beat up Biharis there, insult them. Even the word Bihari had turned into an abuse. At that time I thought that rather than staying here and see my own people being abused and beaten up, it is better to go to the state and bring about that change which we think of, sitting there. I entered politics with that thinking. So, eventually, I see myself
in Bihar.
Santosh Singh
Santosh Singh
Senior Assistant Editor, The Indian Express
I am talking about the variables in elections. In 2010, it was the NDA; Nitish Kumar came to power. In 2015, it was Modi’s leadership, the Maha gathbandhan. In 2020, you were that one variable, you were in the opposite camp and won one seat but that made a huge difference. In the 2025 elections, I feel the two variables are Prashant Kishor and the failing health and leadership of Nitish Kumar. How do you assess This scenario?
I Don’t think anyone should take the Opposition very lightly. It shows your arrogance when you think the other person doesn’t matter, but I do believe that you need to continuously work hard on yourself, so that no variable can affect you. Prashant ji is among my good friends but in electoral politics he hasn’t been tested much. He had some of his candidates in the last by-elections, but the performance wasn’t as good as they would have expected. I don’t know what would happen in an election battleground, how much impact will it have on me or not. I definitely believe in our alliance. We are a winning combination and I believe that we are so strong that I don’t think anyone else could affect it. You also inquired about the health of the Chief Minister. Thank you for the concern but I believe that his leadership abilities
are strong.
Poonam Dabas
Poonam Dabas
Executive Editor, Centre for Media and Strategic Studies
Bihar started with the caste census. Do you think it should be nation-wide?
I believe that caste census should be nation-wide. It might sound contradictory — I don’t believe in caste politics, but I do support caste census. The harsh reality of our country is that states like Bihar are governed by the caste set-up. Caste politics happens there, there is also discrimination that takes place on the basis of caste. Many schemes are floated by the Central government, state government for uplift and for these castes to get aligned with the mainstream. To do that I think it is important for the Central and state governments to have those figures to build those plans properly. Otherwise you will not be able to implement them or allocate budget. Even honourable courts have asked for this. I believe that the government should have the data but I don’t support it being made public as it was in my state. Making it public will increase casteism even more in my state.