PATNA, Oct. 8 -- Union minister Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), a constituent of the NDA, is weighing the option of contesting the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections independently as it seeks to expand base beyond Bihar and establish itself in the country's most populous state. The party's plans are expected to gain momentum on October 8, the death anniversary of its founder and Chirag's father, Ram Vilas Paswan, a prominent Dalit leader and former Union minister. This year, the party has shifted the event from Bihar to Lucknow, signalling its growing interest in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the assembly polls. Although the party marked Paswan's first death anniversary in Delhi in 2021, this will be its first large-scale observance in Uttar Pradesh. The party did hold a few political events this year, such as the "Youth Bole Toh" programme at Prayagraj (September 27-28) and its state executive committee meeting in Lucknow (July 15). During the youth-centric event aimed at Gen-Z, students and farmers, Chirag officially announced that the LJP (RV) was preparing to contest all 403 seats in UP. Against this backdrop, Thursday's event in Lucknow is being positioned as an opportunity to showcase the party's ambition, strength and appeal in a state where Dalits account for around 21% of the population, according to the 2011 Census. Additionally, the LJP (RV) wants to convey a message to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which has traditionally drawn substantial support from state's Dalit voters, that it faces stiff competition. The move also sends an underlying message to the BJP. "Going forward, if we get a raw deal in seat-sharing negotiations within the NDA, the party will be ready to go solo and contest all 403 seats in UP," said a senior party leader. The party has invited the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, along with ministers, MPs and MLAs from both states, cutting across party lines. "We have invited the chief minister of UP, all ministers, MPs and MLAs from UP to the event, where we will share the ideals of our founder," said Rajesh Bhatt, national spokesperson of the LJP (RV). Invitations have also been extended to political leaders in Bihar, a party legislator said, requesting anonymity. For the LJP (RV), Uttar Pradesh offers both an electoral opportunity and a test of its ability to grow into a national political force. The state has 403 assembly constituencies and the country's largest electorate, making it a crucial arena for any party seeking a wider political footprint. "Our leaders are aware that for the party to grow and attain national recognition, it has to make inroads into UP. We are not averse to testing the political waters there, where we have nothing to lose," a party insider said. The leadership has asked its state unit to strengthen the organisation and establish a presence across all 403 constituencies. This would help the party prepare to contest seats allocated to it under an NDA seat-sharing arrangement. It also wants to retain the option of going it alone if negotiations do not yield a satisfactory deal, party leaders said. "The strategy presents a delicate balancing act for Chirag Paswan. As a Union minister and NDA ally, he has an interest in preserving ties with the BJP. But expanding the party's independent electoral base may strengthen its bargaining power in seat-sharing negotiations and reduce its dependence on Bihar," said political commentator Gyanendra Yadav, professor in the department of sociology, College of Commerce, Arts and Science in Patna. The move will also put the LJP (RV) in competition with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which has traditionally drawn substantial support from Dalit voters....