Jan Suraaj Party founder speaks out against Bihar’s political apathy and urges voters to look beyond caste and religion
Patna, May 17—Political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has said that the "insensitivity" of the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government during the COVID-19 pandemic motivated him to enter active politics in his home state. The Jan Suraaj Party founder revealed this during a podcast with Prakhar Gupta.Kishor, who through his consultancy firm IPAC has helmed election campaigns for prominent leaders like Narendra Modi, Mamata Banerjee, and Arvind Kejriwal, dismissed suggestions that an ambition for power drove his foray into politics.
"I had helped steer the Mahagathbandhan to a massive victory in the 2015 Bihar assembly polls. If I were interested in power, I could have taken a position back then," said the 47-year-old Kishor.
COVID-19 Crisis Was the Turning Point
Kishor reflected on his motivation, saying, " I decided to serve Bihar after witnessing the government’s insensitivity during the global COVID pandemic. Bihari migrants were being driven out of other states and had to walk thousands of kilometres to return home. It was a shameful episode."He shared that following the 2021 West Bengal elections, he decided to leave election consultancy and begin laying the groundwork for his own political platform.
Appeal to Voters: Choose Leaders Like You Choose Movies
Kishor also called for a shift in how voters choose their leaders, highlighting that emotional and identity-based voting often overrides governance issues."People often vote on issues like education, health, and corruption to appear responsible. But when the time comes, they get swayed by caste and religion," he said. "Voters need to be more careful in choosing their leaders than in picking a movie to watch based on star appeal. The stakes are far higher in elections."
Vision for Change in Bihar
Kishor hoped that his party, Jan Suraaj, would break the status quo in Bihar politics. "The state suffers because its leaders believe they’ll keep getting votes without delivering results. I hope Jan Suraaj becomes a catalyst for real change," he said.As Bihar moves towards its next assembly elections, Kishor’s statements underscore his positioning as a reformist alternative to entrenched political players in the state.