Prashant Kishor slams Nitish Kumar, says 'missed opportunities'

New Delhi: Prashant Kishor, a political strategist turned activist, launched a scathing attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday. Kishor, who once considered Kumar his mentor, accused him of failing to secure meaningful benefits for the state despite his significant influence over the BJP.

Kishor claimed that Kumar is more focused on securing a larger share of ministerial positions for his party, the JD(U), in the Union Council of Ministers. Furthermore, Kishor alleged that Kumar is using his clout with the BJP to target his political opponents in Bihar, rather than utilizing his position to drive industrial growth and development in the state.

Kishor slams Nitish Kumar's leadership

Prashant Kishor, founder of IPAC, questioned the demand for special status for Bihar, pointing out the state government's failure to revive closed industries. He asked why Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has been in power for nearly 20 years, did not push for the restoration of 20 sugar mills that have been non-functional for years. Kishor criticized Kumar's tenure, saying it would be remembered for missed opportunities. He made these comments while speaking to reporters after an event related to his 'Jan Suraaj' campaign, which he launched two years ago and is set to be formalized as a political party on October 2.

Kishor criticized Nitish Kumar

Prashant Kishor, a former national vice president of the JD(U) who was expelled for "indiscipline", criticized Nitish Kumar's priorities. He noted that after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Kumar was in a strong position as the BJP needed allies, including the JD(U) and TDP, to form a majority government. However, Kishor claimed that Kumar was only concerned with securing ministerial berths for his party. He alleged that Kumar used his newfound influence to target certain BJP leaders, including Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, who was recently ousted as state BJP president. Kishor's comments implied that Kumar's focus was on personal gain and settling scores rather than leveraging his position for the benefit of Bihar.

Victory of 'Jan Suraaj' in next election 

Prashant Kishor, a former poll strategist, reaffirmed that his political outfit, 'Jan Suraaj', will contest the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, scheduled for next year, as an independent entity, without forming any alliances with other political parties.

"We will win. The people of Bihar are fed up with the vicious cycle they have been forced into by Nitish, BJP and the RJD, which is currently in the opposition but has had short-lived alliances with the JD(U). On October 2, 1 crore people will together float the new party. It will be for the first time in history that a party will be founded by so many people," claimed Kishor

He also countered concerns about the party's caste-based support, highlighting the success of Jan Suraaj-backed candidates in recent by-elections to the state legislature, which demonstrates that the party's influence can transcend caste affiliations in Bihar.