Election strategist-cum-political activist Prashant Kishor on Sunday (August 25, 2024) said his political organisation Jan Suraaj, which is likely to be turned as a political party on October 2 this year, would contest in all 243 Assembly seats in Bihar for which polls will be held in October-November 2025. He said women candidates would be fielded in at least 40 seats. Jan Suraaj put up posters in Patna slamming nepotism by Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad at the cost of other leaders from Yadav caste.
Jan Suraaj convener Mr. Kishor is currently on a padayatra(foot march) across Bihar which he kicked off from Bhitiharwa in west Champaran on October 2, 2022. Since then he has covered over 5,000 km through several districts of Bihar. Currently, he is undertaking padayatra in the Kosi area of Madhepura and Supaul of north Bihar. On Sunday, Mr. Kishor addressed a huge gathering of women participants at Patna’s Gyan Bhawan.
On Sunday, Jan Suraaj put up posters in Patna slamming Mr. Prasad for promoting nepotism at the cost of other leaders from Yadav caste. “Apne aur apne bacchon ke behtar bhawishya aiwam naye Bihar ke nirman ke liye Lalu Yadav ne dekha sirf apna pariwar. Baaki sabhi Yadav netaon ka kiya rajnaitik sanhar [Lalu Yadav looks after only his family for his and his children’s better future and construction of new Bihar. He did political massacre of other leaders from Yadav caste]”, said the posters. The posters have pictures of Mr. Kishor and Aparna Yadav of Jan Suraaj along with polaroid photos of leaders from Yadav caste who deserted Mr. Prasad at some point of time on one corner, while, at the other corner, a group photo of RJD chief Mr. Prasad, his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, their two sons in politics Tej Pratap and Tejashwi Yadav, along with two daughters Misa Bharti and Rohini Acharya adorns. Two phone numbers are given to give a “missed call” — apparently to join the Jan Suraaj campaign.
Central committee
Earlier, Mr. Kishor announced that Jan Suraaj will be a political party on October 2 and it will have a 25-member central committee — five persons each from the general category, Other Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and minorities. This committee will elect a leader of the party from these five groups for a term of one year. Mr. Kishor had also announced that he would not be the part of the leadership group and would continue his padayatra across the State. It was also announced by Jan Suraaj leaders that any founder-member of the campaign having at least 5,000 proposals “can be a part of the election process to become the party’s central committee member”.
Mr. Kishor is keen that his new party, which will be formally announced on October 2, 2024 at Patna’s Gyan Bhawan “comes in firmly in full shape on the ground” before hitting the Assembly elections due to be held in October-November, 2025. Several people from all walks of life are joining the Jan Suraaj campaign to strengthen the hands of Mr. Kishor.
However, some political pandits are skeptical of Mr. Kishor’s impact on the Assembly poll results. “His party can, at best, win 25-30 seats due to local political perceptions and permutations. “What we see on the ground is a direct contest between the BJP and the RJD in the coming Assembly elections in Bihar”, said Rajesh Kumar Tiwari, 41, an agriculturist from Barauli in Gopalganj district.
Published - August 25, 2024 09:56 pm IST
