Prashant Kishor Says Won't Contest Bihar Elections, Predicts NDA's Defeat

Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, whose Jan Suraaj Party is making a poll debut in the upcoming Bihar elections, will not be contesting the polls. Putting all speculation to rest, Kishor told news agency PTI that he would not contest the polls, and would instead focus on organisational work.

That Kishor won't fight the elections was clear last night when Jan Suraaj announced Chanchal Singh as its candidate for the Raghopur Assembly seat. Kishor had earlier said that if he contests the polls, he would do so from Kargahar, his home constituency, or Raghopur, an RJD stronghold. In its first list, Jan Suraaj announced Ritesh Ranjan (Pandey) as its candidate from Kargahar. Chanchal Singh's choice for Raghopur confirmed that Kishor has decided not to fight the polls. Raghopur is an RJD bastion represented by Tejashwi Yadav and Kishor would have faced an uphill battle if he chose to contest. Contesting the polls would also tie down the Jan Suraaj founder to one constituency and hit the party's campaign because he is its most prominent face. 

"Jan Suraaj decided I should concentrate on organisational work and not contest," Kishor told PTI this morning. Setting a big target for Jan Suraaj, he said that "anything less than 150 seats" for the party would be a "defeat".

Kishor predicted a certain defeat for the ruling NDA in Bihar, and added that the Nitish Kumar-led JDU will struggle to win even 25 seats. "The NDA is definitely on its way out and Nitish Kumar will not return as Chief Minister," he said.

"You do not need to be a psephologist to fathom what is in store for the JD(U). In the last assembly polls, Chirag Paswan staged a revolt just a few days ahead of the announcement of elections and fielded candidates, many of whom were inconsequential, against nominees of Kumar's party, causing its tally to crash to 43," recalled Kishor.

"The situation is no better in the INDIA bloc either. There is a never-ending tiff between RJD and the Congress. And nobody knows if former state minister Mukesh Sahani's Vikassheel Insaan Party is still by their side," Kishor said.

Polling for the 243-member Bihar Assembly will be held on November 6 and 11. Results will be declared on November 14.