Prashant Kishor Challenges Tejashwi Yadav in Raghopur: Vows Amethi-Like Defeat in Bihar Assembly Elections

Prashant Kishor has promised to defeat Tejashwi Yadav similar to "Rahul Gandhi's defeat in Amethi."

In a bold political move, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor launched his campaign from Raghopur on Saturday, directly challenging RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in his home constituency. The 47-year-old political strategist vowed to deliver a defeat comparable to "Rahul Gandhi's loss in Amethi."

Kishor received an enthusiastic welcome in the Vaishali district constituency, located approximately 50 km from Patna across the Ganga river. Supporters placed garlands around his neck while drums played in celebration of his arrival.

The former poll strategist, who has been extensively touring his home state mostly on foot for several years, engaged with local residents in rural villages. They expressed frustrations about insufficient schools and lack of basic amenities in the area.

During his interactions, Kishor, confident about his one-year-old party's potential impact in the upcoming elections, challenged villagers, including many women, about "voting based on caste loyalty rather than performance."

"Your local MLA is such a prominent figure and has served as deputy chief minister twice. Have you ever approached him with your concerns?" Kishor asked, with responses suggesting many had been unable to secure meetings with 35-year-old Tejashwi Yadav.

Before departing for Raghopur, Kishor spoke with journalists in Patna who mentioned rumors that Yadav, currently serving his second consecutive term representing the constituency, might contest from an additional seat this election.

Smiling, Kishor responded, "Currently, there's only speculation that Jan Suraaj Party will field a strong candidate in Raghopur, and Tejashwi Yadav is already frightened. He can contest from two seats if he wishes. His fate in Raghopur will mirror Rahul Gandhi's in 2019, when the Congress leader contested two seats but lost his Amethi stronghold."

He referenced how Gandhi, now Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had managed to win only Wayanad in 2019. In subsequent elections, Gandhi contested both Wayanad and Rae Bareli, eventually vacating Wayanad after winning both seats, which his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra later secured in a bypoll.

Notably, Congress regained Amethi when Kishori Lal Sharma defeated former Union minister and BJP MP Smriti Irani.

When questioned about his repeated statements expressing readiness to contest directly against Yadav from Raghopur, Kishor explained, "The Jan Suraaj Party's central election committee will meet Sunday to discuss feedback from Raghopur and determine the most suitable candidate. I cannot confirm whether I will be that candidate, as the decision must come from the party."

Addressing questions about Bhojpuri star Pawan Singh's decision not to contest assembly polls following a meeting between Kishor and Singh's estranged wife Jyoti, Kishor clarified, "Pawan Singh is not an adversary but a personal friend, regardless of his BJP affiliation. When his wife approached me with concerns, I reassured her like a brother. Neither I nor Jan Suraaj Party will interfere in their marital issues."

Although Jyoti reportedly approached Kishor seeking a party ticket, she denied this when questioned by journalists.

Kishor further stated, "Leaders like Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary and ministers Ashok Choudhary and Mangal Pandey appear to fear Jan Suraaj. Ashok Choudhary claims he won't pursue his defamation case against me but will instead take it to the people's court. Let him announce which assembly seat he'll contest, and we're prepared."

Regarding dissatisfaction among some aspirants after the party released its first list of 51 candidates, Kishor remarked, "Such reactions are natural. Thousands have built the Jan Suraaj Party with dedication, and with only 243 assembly seats available, accommodating everyone is impossible. However, as a democratic organization with open doors, we will resolve these issues."