Prashant Kishor, leader of Jan Suraaj, has criticized Bihar as a failed state based on its developmental challenges. He drew a stark comparison to Sudan, saying that in such states, people are less concerned about their children’s education and more about survival— who to shoot and where to capture. He emphasized that this mindset is also visible in Bihar, warning that the state is in deep trouble.
Kishor, addressing the Bihari diaspora in the US, said, “If Bihar were a country, it would be the 11th most populous in the world. We have just surpassed Japan in population.” He stressed the urgent need for change and better governance.
As part of his party’s vision, Kishor promised that if given power, his government would focus on improving school education. He proposed funding these reforms by lifting Bihar’s statewide alcohol ban.
However, Jan Suraaj faced a tough start in its first election. The party failed to win a single seat and couldn’t even retain its deposits in three constituencies. The exception was Imamganj, where their candidate Jitendra Paswan secured over 22% of the vote, but overall, the party struggled to make a significant impact.