The crowd lustily waves red-blue-green flags carrying Ram Vilas Paswan’s photograph alongside the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)’s [LJP (RV)] helicopter symbol at the ‘Nav-Sankalp’ (new resolution) rally at Shahbad in south-west Bihar. On the stage heaving with party functionaries, one of the men places a magenta turban on Chirag Paswan’s head. Chirag, whose name translates to lamp, is a Union Cabinet Minister and the party’s president.
A thick vermillion tika bisects his forehead. He is handed a naked sword, which he raises to the crowd that roars in approval. The crowd — mostly men in their youth — has been waiting for hours under a white canopy, which barely keeps the sun out. They want to hear him speak.
