Jan Suraaj founder and former political strategist Prashant Kishor on Wednesday announced that he will not contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, reported PTI.
In an interview to the news agency, Kishor said the decision was taken by the party “for its greater good”.
“It was decided that I continue to do the work I have been doing [for Jan Suraaj],” he said. “If I contest, the loss of two to five days could hurt the chances of our other candidates.”
Assembly elections in Bihar will be held in two phases, on November 6 and 11, while the votes will be counted on November 14.
On October 7, Kishor had announced that he would contest the polls.
He had also claimed that the Jan Suraaj would secure the support of the 28% of voters who did not vote for either the National Democratic Alliance or the Opposition INDIA bloc in the previous election.
On Wednesday, the former poll strategist said that a tally of fewer than 150 seats for Jan Suraaj would be considered a defeat.
“Even if we win 120 or 130 seats, it would be a loss for me,” PTI quoted him as saying. “If we do well, we will have the mandate to transform Bihar and make it count among the 10 most advanced states. If we don’t, it means people have not shown enough confidence in us, and we must continue our politics of the street and society.”
Kishor added that a Jan Suraaj victory in Bihar would have a “nationwide impact”.
“The compass of national politics will point in a different direction,” he said.
In October 2024, Kishor officially launched the Jan Suraaj party in Patna, saying that he intended to create a united alternative party for the citizens of Bihar.
Just 0.2% of readers pay for news. The others don’t care if it dies. You can help make a difference. Support independent journalism – join Scroll now.
We’re not driven by clicks or corporate interests – just honest, independent reporting. Keep us going. Support Scroll today!