Will Chirag Paswan beat his father's record-breaking 1977 win? | LS polls

Hajipur Lok Sabha seat, a political stronghold for the Paswan family, is set to witness a significant contest in the 2024 elections. Chirag Paswan, son of late Ram Vilas Paswan, is aiming to reclaim this historic seat. Ram Vilas Paswan, a prominent figure in Indian politics, won from Hajipur eight times and made it to the Guinness World Records by securing 89 per cent of the votes in 1977.

Since Ram Vilas Paswan died in 2020, there has been a tussle within the family over his political legacy. Presently, the Hajipur seat is represented by Chirag's uncle, Pashupati Kumar Paras. Chirag, who has been a two-time Member of Parliament from Jamui and heads the Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas (LJP-RV), has now struck a deal with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to contest from Hajipur.

Chirag also tried his hands in acting but didn't go ahead with it. Three years after marking his Bollywood debut, Chirag made his political debut from Bihar's Jamui seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and emerged victorious.

The BJP's alliance with Chirag has left Pashupati Kumar Paras, also an ally of the BJP, sidelined. In protest, Paras has resigned from the Union cabinet and is not participating in the election campaign. This development has turned the Hajipur contest into a high-stakes battle for both family legacy and political dominance.

Chirag faces a formidable challenge, not only from his uncle but also from his main opponent, Shiv Chandra Ram of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The election in Hajipur will take place during the fifth phase on May 20.

Ram Vilas Paswan's political journey from Hajipur began in 1977 when he won with an astounding 89.3 per cent of the votes. He continued his winning streak in seven more elections, with a notable victory in 1989, securing 84 per cent of the votes. However, he faced defeats in 1984 and 2009, losing to Congress’ Ram Ratan Ram and Janata Dal (United)’s Ram Sundar Das, respectively.

In the 2014 elections, Ram Vilas Paswan allied with the BJP, crediting his son Chirag for convincing him to join forces. This alliance helped him reclaim Hajipur. In 2019, he vacated the seat for his younger brother, Paras, while Chirag won from Jamui.

As the election day approaches, all eyes are on Chirag Paswan. Will he be able to replicate or even surpass his father's historic victories? The answer lies in the hands of the voters of Hajipur.

Also watch: Lok Sabha polls: seat-sharing with BJP finalised, says Chirag Paswan