A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar claimed that poll strategist Prashant Kishor has been working for BJP in Bihar and once had asked him to merge his party JD(U) with the Congress Party, Mr. Kishor on October 9, 2022 retorted that Nitish Kumar has become delusional and politically isolated as age has been showing its impact on him.
Mr. Kishor is currently undertaking his 3,500 km padyatra (foot march) across Bihar and is criss-crossing West Champaran district since October 2.
“Age is gradually showing its impact on Nitish ji. He wants to say something but speaks something else. If I’m working on BJP’s agenda, why should I advised him to merge his party with the Congress to strengthen it? How could both be correct?. He is getting delusional, nervous and become politically isolated. He is, these days, surrounded by those whom he himself can’t trust”, Mr. Kishor said in a video release from a village in Champaran district.
Earlier on October 8, chief minister Nitish Kumar had said that Mr. Kishor has been working in Bihar these days on BJP’s agenda and speaking against me and them (pointing towards RJD leader and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav who was standing beside him). “He speaks something to appease them (BJP) to get something at the Center”, Mr Kumar said while throwing a broad smile on his face.
“Once four-five years ago he (Mr. Kishor) had advised me to merge my party with the Congress Party. Let him speak whatever he wants, we’ve nothing to do with it”, said Mr Kumar while speaking to media persons on Saturday. When asked about his recent meeting with Mr. Kishor, Mr Kumar added, “hum nahi bulaye the, apne aaya tha (I did not call him, he himself had come)”.
Mr. Kishor, though, had said earlier that Mr Kumar had invited him at his official residence 1, Anne Marg and offered to “lead his party” but, he refused his offer.
Mr. Kishor had joined JD(U) as national vice president in 2018 and Mr. Kumar had introduced him before media persons as “future of Bihar”. However, later, he was expelled from the party over issues of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Mr. Kishor had launched his 3,500 km padyatra (foot march) from Bhitiharwa Gandhi Ashram in West Champaran district on October 2’ 2022 after paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary. He would undertake his yatra across Bihar in 12-15 months time and, he said, then he would decided to “form a political party or not to contest the upcoming parliamentary and assembly polls in Bihar”.
“To form a political party or not will only be decided by those who would get associated with this Jan Suraaj (people’s good governance) campaign and on people’s feedback during our padyatra”, said Mr. Kishor who has been getting warm response by local people wherever he visits and addresses them in villages, panchayat and block levels in Champaran district.
Recently, while addressing group of women in a village in West Champaran, he asked them to become a little selfish while exercising their franchise next time.
“You vote on caste line or something else and Lalu’s ninth pass son (Tejashwi Yadav) becomes chief minister and Dy CM but your son is forced to migrate outside the state to earn ₹15,000-20,000 a month. Similarly, an MLA’s son becomes an MLA and MP’s sone becomes an MP. So think about your son as well while voting next time”, Mr. Kishor said and the gathered women applauded loudly.
Earlier, Mr. Kishor has announced that this ruling mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) government of seven parties in Bihar would not survive till upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar in 2025. “Nitish Kumar will make a turnaround once again”, he said.
