Prashant Kishor Predicts Triangular Contest in Bihar Elections: Jan Suraaj to Challenge Traditional Alliances

Prashant Kishor at NDTV Bihar Power Play

Patna:

Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor declared on Saturday that his political party will participate in a triangular electoral contest across 160-170 constituencies in the forthcoming Bihar assembly elections.

During his appearance at the NDTV Power Play conclave, the 47-year-old former political strategist expressed confidence about his party's electoral prospects, stating that Jan Suraaj would either secure fewer than 10 seats or more than 150 seats in the assembly.

The Bihar Assembly, comprising 243 members, will hold elections in two phases on November 6 and 11, with vote counting scheduled for November 14.

Kishor emphasized that Jan Suraaj is increasingly being viewed as a viable "alternative" political option in the state.

When questioned about public disappointment regarding his decision not to contest personally, Kishor clarified that he never made any commitment to participate as a candidate in the elections.

"I said if I would contest, I would do it from Kargarh," he explained, adding that he does not consider himself the "X factor" in the election.

"When the results are announced on November 14, will the success be measured by Jan Suraaj winning seats or whether I contested or not? The perception is that there is no alternative to the 'Mahagathbandhan' or the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) in Bihar. Perception is one thing; fact is another," Kishor remarked.

Kishor also provided a written assurance to NDTV that Jan Suraaj would not form alliances with any political party either before or after the Bihar elections.

He cited electoral data suggesting that approximately one-third of Bihar's voters are inclined to support neither the ruling NDA nor the opposition 'Mahagathbandhan' alliance.

The NDA coalition includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), Union Minister Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha, and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha. On the opposing side, the Mahagathbandhan alliance comprises Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and several Left parties as its principal constituents.