On October 13, 1999, Padma Bhushan Ram Vilas Paswan became the Cabinet Minister of the Department of Telecommunications in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government, while being a Member of Parliament from the Janata Dal. His victory from the Hajipur constituency and his deep concern for the development of marginalized communities, including the backward, minority, and Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe groups, fueled his determination to advocate for their progress within the government. He tirelessly worked to amplify their voices by seeking increased representation through Members of Parliament and Legislators.

In fact, Paswan had understood from his extensive experience in the Janata Dal that the power to grant tickets to his supporters could only come when he had his own party. Instead of relying on alliances or platforms of others, he decided to form his own party. On November 28, 2000, he announced the formation of his new political party, the “Lok Janshakti Party ” from Delhi’s Ramleela Maidan. That day was historic for Ram Vilas Paswan’s supporters. The Ramleela Maidan was filled with a massive crowd. The announcement of the new party was welcomed with thunderous applause and cheers from the enthusiastic audience in the grand public gathering. Alongside Paswan on the stage were other Janata Dal (United) MPs, including Jai Narayan Nishad, Ramesh Jigajinagi, and Ramchandra Paswan. While Ramesh Jigajinagi hailed from Karnataka, the rest of the MPs were all from Bihar. In addition to them, former Chief Minister of Bihar Abdul Gaffur, Delhi MLA Ramveer Singh Bidhuri, Ramakishor Singh, and Captain Bhopal Singh were also present from Bihar.
In his presidential speech, Paswan clarified the ideological foundation of the party from the stage. He stated that the fundamental principle of the Lok Janshakti Party would be ‘Social Justice,’ and this party would be committed to the population of the country that is sitting at the bottom rung of society. The party would work to ensure social, economic, and political rights for the poor, marginalized, and oppressed sections of society. This deprived className, regardless of their religion, caste, occupation, profession, or economic activities, would be the focus. Alongside this, he raised the slogan, “We are going to light a lamp in the house that has been in darkness for centuries.”

He also stated that the path of struggle for the Lok Janshakti Party would be under the framework of parliamentary democracy. Through the movement, they would raise the voices of the poor and adopt the legislative path to ensure that the party’s elected representatives in both the Parliament and the state legislatures could vigorously address issues related to the rights of the oppressed, Dalits, marginalized, and minorities, thereby drawing the attention of the government and the nation.

After the formation of the Lok Janshakti Party, a unique constitution was crafted for the party, incorporating these principles. The preamble of the party constitution primarily asserted, “The party shall have full faith and allegiance in the Constitution of India as established by law, and shall work towards the unity, sovereignty, and integrity of India on the principles of socialism, secularism, and democracy.”

The party constitution also explicitly outlined the party’s objectives. It stated that “The Lok Janshakti Party is a determined commitment for the empowerment of the poor. The party will work to build a nation that transcends disputes of caste and religion, a nation that is free from all forms of economic, social, political, religious, and any other kind of oppression.” Following the party’s formation, the first organizational structure election was held. In it, Ram Vilas Paswan was elected as the National President of the party. Other key office-bearers included Captain Jai Narayan Nishad as the President of the Parliamentary Board, Ramesh Jigajinagi as the Chief General Secretary, Abdul Ghafoor as the Vice President, and Ramesh Prasad Singh as well.

After the party’s formation, the responsibility to lead it to success was immense. Paswan was well aware of these challenges, which is why for the next two years, he worked tirelessly to establish the party and build its foundation. He faced these challenges head-on. In this context, he reaped the benefits of two positive aspects. One was the foundation of his own vote base, while the other was the dedicated cadre of Dalit Sena at the national level. Dalit Sena, in a way, played an active role as a strong support for the new party.

Alongside this, Paswan set two objectives. The first goal was to strengthen and expand the party at the organizational level. This significantly elevated his political activity. He increased his engagement, often spending days outside Delhi. Sometimes, he traveled from one place to another for party programs outside Delhi for several consecutive days. Dalit Sena had already established a grassroots presence in other states. Its activists were present everywhere.

In addition to them, those supporters of his who joined hands with Paswan played a significant role in strengthening the LJP, and they are still with him in the Janata Dal due to him. He utilized what he had learned and understood from the United Socialist Party to fortify the organizational structure of LJP. He initiated activities such as worker conventions, training workshops, starting from the district level to the national level, which deviated from the traditional party system. The organization of conferences, public meetings, rallies, sit-ins, and demonstrations on various issues, which Paswan orchestrated with remarkable enthusiasm, was quite remarkable. The politics of the year 2000 differed from the politics of the sixth and seventh decades.

The support of proposals presented and passed in camps and conferences, along with the efforts to strengthen the party’s organizational structure, played a significant role in establishing the party’s identity. Whatever elections came during the attempt to fortify the party’s organizational structure saw the emergence of LJP candidates. As long as they were with the Janata Dal and held ministerial positions in the Vajpayee government, the focal point for protests, demonstrations, and movements remained in Bihar. This way, the party’s popularity grew significantly within just two years. In the current time, the party’s new name is Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ram Vilas), represented by the election symbol granted by the Election Commission, a helicopter, whereas it was previously a bungalow. The party’s flag is displayed with equal horizontal bands of blue, red, and green. The party is under the leadership of National President Chirag Paswan, with Abdul Khaliq as the Chief General Secretary. The party’s various national wings include:

1Youth Wing, 2. Minority Wing, 3. Women’s Wing, 4. Labour Wing, 5. Legal Wing, 6. Farmers’ Wing, 7. Sports and Cultural Wing, 8. Student Wing, 9. Scheduled Caste-Scheduled Tribe Wing, 10. IT Wing, 11. Extremely Backward Class Wing, 12. Panchayati Raj Wing, 13. Medical Wing, 14. Bihar Employee Union Wing. Additionally, there are presidents in all states.