After the crushing defeat of his newly-formed political party, Jan Suraj, in the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, Prashant Kishor, the founder of the party, has finally broken his silence. The party, which contested 238 out of 243 seats in the Bihar elections, failed to win a single seat. The party’s estimated vote share ranged between 2 to 3 percent, with most of its candidates losing their security deposits. Kishor, a former election strategist, gave his first public reaction to the outcome, attributing the loss to various factors, including the fear of the return of “Jungle Raj” under Lalu Yadav and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Election Results and Performance of Jan Suraj Party
Jan Suraj Party, under the leadership of Prashant Kishor, made a massive attempt to gain ground in Bihar by contesting a large portion of the available seats. However, the results were dismal. Despite a highly publicized campaign and months of preparation, the party could not secure a single victory. The vote share of the party was alarmingly low, hovering between just 2 and 3 percent. Most candidates from the party found their security deposits forfeited, which is a clear indication of the lack of support from the electorate.
Prashant Kishor’s Explanation for Jan Suraj’s Loss
In an interview with India Today, Prashant Kishor claimed that the feedback he received during his extensive “Jan Suraj Yatra” (Jan Suraj journey) did not align with the election results. According to him, the voter trends during the campaign were in stark contrast to what transpired on election day. Kishor suggested that something went wrong in the process. “There are invincible forces at play here. Even parties that were barely known to the people received millions of votes,” he stated.
Although Kishor did not present any concrete evidence, he did express doubts about the fairness of the election process. He mentioned that after losing, many people urged him to publicly claim that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were manipulated. “After every loss, people often say these things, but I don’t have any proof. However, several things don’t add up. At first glance, it seems that something went wrong, but we don’t know what exactly happened,” Kishor added.
Allegations of Vote Manipulation and Bribery
Prashant Kishor further accused the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of attempting to influence the election results through unfair means. He specifically alleged that thousands of women voters were bribed during the election campaign. Kishor claimed that women were promised Rs. 10,000 in the initial phase, with a further promise of Rs. 2 lakh if they voted for NDA and Nitish Kumar. Kishor pointed out that such large-scale bribery involving 50,000 women was unprecedented and raised serious questions about the legitimacy of the election process.
“From the announcement of the election date to the voting day, women were given Rs. 10,000, with a commitment that the remaining amount would be given to them if they voted for the NDA,” he said. Kishor further stated that he couldn’t recall any government in the country having distributed money in such a manner to thousands of voters. He emphasized that this kind of vote-buying tactic was completely unacceptable in a democratic process.
The Fear of Jungle Raj and Its Impact on Voters
Another major factor Prashant Kishor attributed to the defeat of his party was the fear of the return of “Jungle Raj” under Lalu Yadav and the RJD. Kishor noted that many voters were concerned about the possibility of Bihar reverting to the chaotic governance of the past. “By the final stages of the campaign, many voters had accepted that Jan Suraj was unlikely to win. Their concern was simple: If they voted for us and we didn’t win, it could pave the way for the return of Lalu’s Jungle Raj,” Kishor explained.
This fear, according to Kishor, played a significant role in diminishing the support for Jan Suraj. Many voters who were initially inclined to vote for the party became wary, fearing the consequences of a potential RJD return to power. “This fear undoubtedly pushed some voters away from us,” Kishor admitted. The fear of instability and a return to what he described as “Jungle Raj” ultimately influenced voter behavior and hurt his party’s prospects.
The Challenges Faced by Jan Suraj
Prashant Kishor, known for his strategic thinking and electoral expertise, had hoped that Jan Suraj would be able to offer an alternative to the traditional political parties in Bihar. However, the party’s poor performance has highlighted the immense challenges faced by new political entities trying to break into established political landscapes.
Kishor’s strategy of launching a massive statewide campaign through the “Jan Suraj Yatra” seemed promising at first, but the results revealed the deep-rooted support for other political forces in Bihar, particularly the RJD and its alliance partners. Despite his reputation as a political strategist, Kishor found it difficult to translate his vision into electoral success. The party’s inability to secure even a single seat was a major setback, and it raised questions about the party’s future in state politics.
Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj Party’s failure in the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections serves as a stark reminder of the complexities of political battles in India. Despite Kishor’s best efforts and his vast experience in election strategy, the party could not overcome the dominant political forces in Bihar. The allegations of election manipulation and the fear of a return to “Jungle Raj” only added to the challenges faced by the party.
Moving forward, Kishor will need to reassess his approach to Bihar’s political landscape. Whether Jan Suraj will continue to be a viable political entity in the state remains to be seen. The results highlight the powerful role of established political parties in shaping the state’s electoral outcomes, and for any new party to succeed, it will need to overcome significant hurdles. For now, Kishor has promised that his party will keep working to strengthen its roots and try again in future elections.
