In September 2018 when election strategist Prashant Kishor had officially joined Janata Dal (United), party president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had said, “he is the future” but, Mr Kishor’s recent remarks has landed him in a soup with his position in the JD(U) in a jeopardy.
During an interview in private news channel, Mr. Kishor had said, “He (Nitish Kumar) should have gone for a fresh mandate after he changed sides from mahagathbandhan to NDA.” And, this remark has apparently triggered serious discontent within the party.
“People who looked at Nitish Kumar as challenger to PM Narendra Modi would find the decision wrong but people who used to think he was compromising on governance only for the sake of defeating PM Modi would have found the decision correct… it depends on which side of the part you sit”, Mr. Kishor had said in the interview while, adding, “I think when he (Nitish Kumar) changed sides he should have ideally sought fresh mandate.”
Earlier, while addressing students in Muzaffarpur, Mr. Kishor had reportedly told them that when he could help people become Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers, he could “definitely make students become MLAs, MPs and district board presidents.”
Mr Kishor’s remarks have caused serious resentment among party leaders.
“He (Prashant Kishor) is offering pravachan (discourse) on seeking a mandate. Where was his gyan (knowledge) when the party took the decision to realign with the BJP? Moreover, does he not remember that his own formal entry into the JD(U) came after the development, which he questioning now?” asked JD(U) MLC and party spokesman Neeraj Kumar.
JD(U) general secretary and Rajya Sabha member RCP Singh, who has also been a close confidante of Mr. Nitish Kumar said, “When we walked out of the mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), he (Mr. Kishor) was not even in the party… it could have been his opinion but the decision to come out of the mahagathbandhan was taken unanimously by the party after the State and national executive consent.”
