By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: Prashant Kishor, the strategist and founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, described Bihar as a “failed state in crisis” during a virtual address to the Bihari diaspora in the United States. Speaking via video conferencing, he also inaugurated the party’s office in the US, marking the launch of Jan Suraaj’s international chapter.
Kishor emphasised that extensive efforts and time would be required to steer Bihar towards development. He expressed confidence in his party’s prospects, asserting that Jan Suraaj would secure victory in the 2025 Bihar assembly elections.
Vision for Bihar: Education Over Liquor Prohibition
Kishor announced a bold policy shift, pledging to revoke Bihar’s liquor ban if his party comes to power. “The revenue generated from lifting the prohibition will be channelled towards improving school education in the state,” he said. He highlighted the critical challenges facing Bihar, pointing out its immense population size. “If Bihar were a country, it would be the 11th largest in the world by population, surpassing Japan,” he remarked.
Mixed Performance in By-Elections
Despite Kishor’s optimism, Jan Suraaj faced setbacks in recent Bihar by-elections, fielding candidates in all four constituencies but failing to win any seats.
- Belaganj: Mohammad Amjad secured 17,285 votes, finishing third.
- Imamganj: Jitendra Paswan garnered 37,103 votes, also finishing third.
- Tarari: Kiran Singh obtained 5,622 votes, achieving third place.
- Ramgarh: Sushil Kumar Singh received 6,513 votes, placing fourth.
Kishor remains undeterred, framing these early results as part of a longer journey towards establishing a new political force capable of transforming Bihar.
