Bihar Results LIVE: Will Chirag Paswan Be Nitish Kumar's Deputy In Bihar? Here's What He Said

Chirag Paswan, the son of late Bihar leader Ram Vilas Paswan, has come of age in the just concluded assembly election, leaving a huge footprint on the state and the alliance. His Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ram Vilas) is leading on 19 seats, up from 1 in the 2020 election. He, however, refused to confirm the buzz that his reward will be the coveted post of Deputy Chief Minister. 

In an exclusive interview with NDTV's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Editor-In-Chief  Rahul Kanwal, Paswan said the 2020 results were deeply affected by the split within the ruling NDA. The rift, he added, was the reason why Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal could reach the high figure of 75 and become the single largest party. 

Read: Rise Of The Young Gun: Chirag Paswan's Stellar Show In Bihar

Paswan had gone solo in the 2020 assembly election -- a move that also cut down the votes of Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United and put the BJP in the state's driving seat.  This time, he had bargained for 29 seats and won 19 - a stellar performance for a new party.

"They are saying that I went solo... and the RJD benefitted. I have said this on record so many times -- If there was a united NDA, the RJD would not have crossed 25 seats," he added.

The RJD is currently leading on 25 seats - one-third of its tally in 2020. 

Asked if would stake claim to the post of Nitish Kumar's Deputy in the new government, Chirag Paswan said, "No, not at all. I think the deserving candidate will be one from my party. Whatever responsibility is given will go to a party member".

Asked if that person would be him, he laughed, saying he already has a lot of responsibility in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet.  When pressed, he sidestepped the issue, saying he would not comment on any matter that concerned the alliance.

Asked if has considered that the BJP, given its score, could easily form   government with the LJP-RV, he laughed, saying in an alliance, everyone has a specific role that should be respected. 

"If anyone is ousted -- everyone has a role and it should be respected... a sea is just a combination of drops," he said. As for himself, "I am the salt in the alliance... even small things can be important," he said. 

Paswan's stellar performance comes after the 43-year-old navigated his share of ups and downs. 

In 2020, he was written off by political observers after contesting 130 seats independently and winning only one. Following the death of his father came the tussle with his uncle over Ram Vilas Paswan's legacy and the subsequent split in his party.

But in last year's Lok Sabha election, he proved his mettle by winning all five seats he contested.

About his latest achievement -- a strike rate of 65 per cent, he said, "I think my father would have been proud".