Prashant Kishor Reveals Jan Suraaj's Strategy: "Bihar Wants an Alternative to Both NDA and Mahagathbandhan"

Prashant Kishor addressed the audience at NDTV's Bihar Power Play Conclave today.

During NDTV's Bihar Power Play Conclave, poll strategist-turned-politician and Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor clarified his position, stating that he is not the X factor in Bihar's political landscape and emphasized that he never declared intentions to contest in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

Key highlights from Prashant Kishor's speech at NDTV's Bihar Power Play Conclave:

Regarding his electoral prospects, Kishor confidently stated his belief that Jan Suraaj would either secure fewer than 10 seats or more than 150. He clarified that he never announced plans to contest personally, though he mentioned Kargarh as a potential constituency if he were to run. He firmly rejected being labeled as an X factor in Bihar politics.

Kishor challenged prevailing perceptions about Bihar's political landscape, stating that while many believe voters must choose between Mahagathbandhan or NDA, data shows approximately one-third of Bihar's electorate desires an alternative to both alliances. He predicted Jan Suraaj would participate in triangular contests across 160-170 constituencies.

On voter sentiment, Kishor identified two possibilities: while people recognize Jan Suraaj as a viable alternative, voting for a new entity requires a significant leap of faith, especially after prolonged political disappointment.

Comparing his current political strategy to past campaign work, Kishor noted similarities to PM Modi's 2014 campaign (which he managed), describing both as innovative political formations with fresh approaches.

Addressing caste politics, Kishor distinguished between understanding caste dynamics and exploiting them for political gain. He acknowledged that Jan Suraaj candidates belong to various castes but emphasized that no one accuses the organization of practicing caste-based politics, unlike many established parties.

Kishor challenged the notion that Bihar's politics revolves exclusively around caste, citing historical elections where Bihar aligned with national voting patterns, such as Congress's 1984 sweep, Janata Dal's 1989 victory, and BJP's successes in 2014 and 2019.

On candidate selection, Kishor explained that Jan Suraaj considers demographic representation while prioritizing merit. From approximately 1,000 qualified candidates identified, 243 would receive tickets, with careful consideration to ensure diverse caste representation.

Highlighting Jan Suraaj's growing influence, Kishor noted that in some constituencies, the primary contest is between his party and established leaders, with other opposition candidates being either compromised or intimidated. He described their rigorous candidate selection process that began in January with 12,000 applicants.

Regarding his personal decision not to contest, Kishor cited time constraints, explaining that campaigning in one constituency would prevent him from supporting other Jan Suraaj candidates across Bihar, which would be unfair to those trusting his leadership.

Distancing himself from certain political styles, Kishor stated he doesn't practice politics like Arvind Kejriwal. He also noted that Bihar's current Chief Minister isn't contesting the elections and criticized Nitish Kumar for not remembering his own manifesto. Kishor concluded by emphasizing Jan Suraaj's ideological opposition to the BJP.