Almost one month prior to Bihar Elections, The Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor has declared that he will not contest Bihar elections, coming as a surprise to many. The sudden declaration from one India’s most renowned political strategists has changed the narrative of Assembly Elections in Bihar completely. He was speculated to contest the elections from Raghopur, seat which was once held by Tejaswi Yadav (RJD leader). Instead, Chanchal Singh will be fielded against Tejaswi for Raghopur seat. The decision was explained to have been taken for the greater good and larger interests of Jan Suraaj Party. Prashant clarified that contesting for any single seat would distract him and that he would rather like to work for strengthening and organizing the party. Showing confidence in his party, he stated that winning of less than 150 seats will be a defeat for him.
“The party has decided that I should not contest the assembly polls. And therefore, the party has announced another candidate from Raghopur, against Tejaswi Yadav. It was a decision we took in the larger interest of the party. If I were to contest, it would have distracted me from the unnecessary organizational work,” were the words form Prashant Kishor, in the interview with Press Trust of India.
How is it a strategical step to choose the sidelines?
While everyone in Bihar elections is following the tradition of playing from the front and being the Bigger-face in party alliance, Kishor’s choice of step back from contesting has conveyed that politics is not always about power-driven motives but about institution-building. He has always chosen the different methods of politics rather than going for traditional ones. His followers believe that Kishor will be taking the new model of politics, built on education, employment and governance and unlike the old politics of state based on caste arithmetic and religious votes. Jan Suraaj movement started in 2022 and aimed at citizens to visualize a better Bihar.
Why the absence of Prashant Kishor matters?
The choice of not contesting the elections doesn’t mean his silence. It rather will be providing him more freedom to organize campaigns more efficiently throughout the state. Not focusing on a single seat will enable him to find the failures and weak points of NDA and INDIA bloc. His party Jan Suraaj has been attempting to make village-level committees and youth outreach programs to connect better with the citizens of Bihar. Party’s primary message has been about Bihar deserving better governance and reformed politics. However, some say that his image and influence could have weakened, had he contested and lost. Hence, logically and strategically defending the decision of not contesting.
What are the current scenarios of different parties?
The decision has come at the time when all the parties and contestants are at full-fledged preparations for the Assembly Elections. The 243-member assembly will be deciding either of NDA’s (National Democratic Alliance) power retain or Mahagathbandhan’s (INDIA bloc) comeback in Bihar.
The BJP and JD(U) led NDA has decided on its seat-sharing ratio, where both will fight on 101 seats. Minor allies such as Ram Vilas LJP, HAM, and RLM have been allocated the leftover quota. But beneath this is an obvious tension. Chief ministers such as HAM’s Jitan Ram Manjhi have shown discontent, opting to contest some constituencies independently.
The BJP, on the other hand, has come out with its first list of 71 candidates, eliminating a few sitting MLAs — a big indication that it is trying to present a new image. Most of the new candidates are from OBC, EBC, and SC/ST groups, showing the party’s effort to go deeper into society.
The Opposition: INDIA Bloc’s Uneasy Unity-
On the opposition side, the Mahagathbandhan, made up of RJD, Congress, Left, and others, is still struggling with internal bipartite negotiations on seat sharing. RJD is still the most dominant regional party in the alliance, yet party coordination is anything but slick.
On the other hand, the Aladdin Owaisi-led AIMIM has already announced its first list of 32 candidates, and the BSP stated that it will contest all 243 seats. Such fissures in opposition votes can be the deciding factor in close constituencies.
How parties have reacted to the retreat of Prashant Kishor?
BJP on Wednesday has said that the decision of not contesting polls was because of the “businessman” in Kishor and making him realize that the situations are not in his favour.
While, RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwary also mocked Kishor’s claims, saying that move seems like a defeat before even stepping into the battlefield. JD(U) on behalf of Kishor’s workers has expressed disappointment saying the decision of stepping back a letting down move.
