Patna (Bihar) [India], October 19 (ANI): Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Sunday said that his tagline of 'Bihar First-Bihari First' is an inclusive approach that prioritises the overall progress of the state and its people.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Paswan stated that the initiative aims to promote the development of Bihar and its residents, regardless of their caste background.

In a veiled jab at the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) over the 'MY-equation,' Paswan said that, unlike other parties, in his MY-equation, 'M' stands for 'mahilayein' (women) and 'Y' stands for youth.

The MY equation in Bihar is seen as the traditional and core support base of Muslims and Yadavs for RJD.

When asked about 'Bihar First-Bihari First' and the role of youth in politics, Chirag Paswan said, 'When I talk about 'Bihar First-Bihari First,' it means overall development, unlike other youth leaders who talk about youth but view them through caste divisions. They see Muslim youth as different and Yadav youth as different. When I talk about 'MY equation,' 'M' stands for 'mahilayein' (women) and 'Y' stands for youth. I believe both face similar issues. I am moving forward with the idea of 'Bihar First - Bihari First,' where we can progress toward building a 'Viksit Bihar'...'

Paswan has often been vocal about his 'Bihar First, Bihari First' philosophy, a development-centric vision to improve Bihar and uplift its residents.

The campaign is a core pillar of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)'s (LJP-RV) political platform, aiming to shift focus from caste-based politics toward issues of governance and progress.

However, it is worth noting that Chirag Paswan, who himself is the political heir of the late Ram Vilas Paswan, has given a ticket to his nephew Simant Mrinal from the Garkha assembly constituency in these Bihar elections. His brother-in-law, Arun Bharti, serves as the party's MP from Jamui.

The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has already announced its first list of 14 candidates for the Bihar elections on October 14 and later released its second list of 15 candidates on October 16.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has begun its groundwork across key constituencies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to kickstart his election campaign from October 24.

The 243 Assembly seats will go to the polls in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with the counting of votes scheduled to take place on November 14. (ANI)