Prashant Kishor's Party Fails to Open Account
Prashant Kishor’s JSP shows no early leads in its Bihar debut, but the strategist says the mission is organization-building, not immediate electoral wins.
New Delhi: Failure to break caste equations and counter the welfare schemes rolled out by the NDA resulted in the complete decimation of former political strategist Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party (JSP). Contrary to speculation that the JSP might dent the NDA’s prospects, the party had virtually no impact on the Bihar Assembly elections and failed to open its account.
In contrast, Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM appeared to be leading in three seats in the Seemanchal region.
Despite being dubbed the “X factor” in the Bihar polls, most Jan Suraaj candidates are likely to forfeit their deposits. According to Election Commission data, a majority of the party’s candidates across 238 constituencies are set to lose their security deposits.
The party, founded by Kishor, failed to attract voter support despite a high-pitched campaign focused on unemployment, migration and lack of industries. Kishor had initially claimed that his party would win 150 seats, later saying it would finish either at the top or at the bottom, as there was “no middle ground” in Bihar politics. His own prediction of “arsh par ya farsh par” (sky high or down to dust) has, to his dismay, come true, much to the amusement of JD(U) cadres and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, for whom Kishor had forecast “not more than 25 seats.”
JSP spokesperson Pavan K. Varma said the party would undertake a “serious review” of its performance. He acknowledged that although the party campaigned with “sincerity and conviction,” it failed to win the confidence of voters. “We worked with full sincerity, believing that Bihar needs fundamental change. There was no lack of effort. But if we have not won people’s trust, we will analyse why and reflect on it,” he said.
Varma added that, despite the electoral setback, the party succeeded in compelling mainstream parties to acknowledge critical governance concerns. “The Jan Suraaj agenda of employment, migration, education and corruption-free governance will now be part of every party’s agenda,” he said.
Political observers recalled BSP founder Kanshi Ram’s political formula: “The first election is to lose, the second to cause defeats, and the third to emerge victorious.” Analysts said that if Kishor continues grassroots engagement and focuses on core issues with the same energy, his party may emerge as a serious contender in the next Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM, which was denied entry into the Mahagathbandhan despite repeated attempts to join the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, was leading in five seats as counting continued on Friday, according to the Election Commission.
The party, which has significant influence in the Muslim-majority Seemanchal region, contested 29 of the 243 Assembly seats, including 24 in Seemanchal.
AIMIM’s Md. Sarawar Alam was leading in Kochadhaman by 13,996 votes after the 11th round of counting. Akhtarul Iman led in Amour by 14,262 votes after nine rounds. Ghulam Sarwar was ahead in Baisi by 9,355 votes after six rounds, and Mohammad Murshid Alam led in Jokihat by 5,332 votes after the 11th round.
The AIMIM contested independently, without aligning with either the ruling NDA or the Opposition Mahagathbandhan.
