Prashant Kishor, renowned political strategist turned politician, is preparing to launch his party in Bihar. In a recent interview, he expressed concerns about the health and leadership of Bihar’s Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar. Kishor claimed that Nitish Kumar is not in a condition to effectively govern the state, both physically and mentally. He also criticized the BJP, suggesting that the party is propping up Nitish Kumar to serve its political interests in the central government.
Kishor’s assessment stems from Nitish Kumar’s limited public presence and silence on key issues affecting the state, such as floods and the controversies surrounding the land survey and installation of smart meters. He remarked that a significant portion of Bihar’s population is questioning whether the state’s longest-serving chief minister is still capable of leading.
According to Kishor, Nitish Kumar is in the final phase of his political career, and his name alone is no longer enough to secure victories. He pointed to the 2020 Bihar elections, where Nitish’s Janata Dal (United) won only 42 seats, a sharp decline compared to BJP’s 74 and the main opposition, RJD’s 75. Kishor also criticized Nitish for allegedly handing over the state’s administration to a select few advisers, creating what he termed a “jungle raj” of bureaucrats.
Ironically, Kishor once played a pivotal role in helping Nitish Kumar’s Mahagathbandhan win the 2015 Bihar assembly elections. He later joined JD(U) as vice president in 2018, but their alliance did not last long.
Kishor’s ongoing Jan Suraaj campaign, which is evolving into a political party, has leveled significant accusations against the BJP. He argued that the BJP is keeping Nitish Kumar in power to maintain its control at the national level, despite knowing that the alliance might lose its appeal. Kishor predicted that Bihar’s electorate would eventually punish the BJP, much like the Congress, which was ousted after supporting Lalu Prasad’s rule.
He further criticized the BJP for its strategy of breaking up political parties across the country but accused it of imposing Nitish Kumar on Bihar, despite the JD(U)’s weaker position in the assembly.
Confident about the future, Kishor has traveled extensively across Bihar and believes that his new party will secure a majority in the 243-member assembly in the upcoming elections. He suggested that voters in the state are ready for change, tired of the two main alliances that have dominated Bihar for over three decades. Kishor emphasized that people would rise above caste and religious issues, voting instead for a brighter future focused on education and employment.
When asked about his potential role in the elections, Kishor left it up to the party’s leadership to decide whether he would contest or be the face of their campaign for chief ministership.
