NEW DELHI: Poll strategist
Prashant Kishor
on Tuesday said that Bihar‘s reformation lies in winning elections with the right candidates rather than merely securing victory.
While addressing a meeting at University Guest House in Kamla Nehru Ridge in New Delhi, Kishor stated, “Chunav jeetne se Bihar nahi sudhrega, chunav sahi logo k saath jeetne se Bihar sudhrega (Bihar will not improve by winning elections, Bihar will improve by winning elections with the right people)”.
The meeting aimed to encourage the Bihar population to associate with Kishor’s political party,
Jan Suraaj
, and bring about a change in power. Kishor urged attendees to share their desires and aspirations through videos on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp.
He declared ‘Bringing reforms in Bihar’ as the sole objective of his party, saying, “Humko aapka paisa nahi chahiye, samaya nahi chahiye, humko aap ka vishwas chahiye (We don’t need your money, we don’t need your time, we need your trust)”.
‘Caste-based voting in Bihar’
Kishor addressed the misconception of caste-based voting in Bihar, citing examples of the 1984 General elections, where Congress won out of sympathy for Indira Gandhi’s assassination, and the 2014 and 2019 General elections, where BJP’s victories were attributed to the ‘Modi wave’ and the ‘Pulwama’ attack, respectively. He acknowledged the existence of casteism in other states but noted that Bihar’s poverty amplifies the issue.
Candidates to be announced soon
Jan Suraaj plans to establish associations in 15 Indian towns with a population of more than 5 lakh from Bihar, aiming to connect Bihar natives from various cities to help the needy. Kishor announced that he will reveal five names from the Jan Suraaj party who will contest elections in the future, and the public will choose their candidates from these aspirants.
Why no candidates from Jan Suraaj in Lok Sabha elections 2024?
Speaking about the ideology of Jan Suraaj party, Kishor emphasized the importance of maintaining objectivity and not becoming a blind devotee in the name of ideology. He explained that Jan Suraaj candidates will not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, as reforming Bihar is his priority rather than securing MP seats.
‘Collective failure’
Kishor highlighted the issue of migration (Palayan) as a significant curse for the people of Bihar, with most youths living away from their parents and only returning during Diwali and Chhath festivals. He termed this situation a collective failure of Bihar as a society, refusing to blame any specific political party. Emphasizing the importance of education, Kishor urged the youth not to abandon their studies in their efforts to bring reforms in Bihar.
He also shed light on the poor health conditions of women in the state, with reports suggesting that 85% of women suffer from anaemia or calcium deficiency.
When Prashant Kishor was teased for being ‘Bihari’.
Recalling his personal experience of being bullied and called ‘Bihari’ during his admission to Hindu College in Delhi, Kishor expressed his desire to build a system where the next generation would not face discrimination due to their Bihar origin. He acknowledged the political awareness among the people of UP and Bihar as a strength, stating, “Bihar ki mitti ki takat hai ki wahan ke bachon ko, samaj ko rajniti ki samajh hai.. (The strength of the soil of Bihar is that the children and society there understand politics)”.
Prashant Kishor’s dig at government officials
Kishor also took a dig at government officials, mentioning that despite having Bihar natives as the Indian health secretary and transport secretary during the Covid pandemic, they failed to provide aid to Bihar migrants in returning to their state. He criticized how people from Bihar who become IAS, SP, doctors, and other bureaucrats often hide their state identity.
Quoting the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, Kishor encouraged people to participate in democracy, saying, “If you do not participate in democracy, be ready to be ruled by your inferior”. He emphasized the importance of making the right choice, drawing from his own experience.
‘Don’t believe in movements’
When asked about initiating a movement similar to Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement in 2011, Kishor expressed his disbelief in movements, stating, “Mai andolan par Vishwas nahi rakhta hoon …french revolution k alawa kisi revolution se desh ka lambe samay tak vikas nhi hua (I do not believe in the movement…except the French Revolution, no other revolution has led to the long-term development of the country”.
