Jan Suraaj Party founder and former poll strategist Prashant Kishor announced on Friday that he would dedicate the vast majority of his personal resources to his party’s political campaign over the next five years.
Speaking to reporters after observing a day-long silent fast at the Gandhi Ashram in West Champaran, Kishor made a bold financial commitment and issued a request to the people of Bihar.
Financial Commitment and Fundraising Request
Kishor pledged to contribute 90 per cent of his income to his party’s campaign. He also committed to donating “whatever assets” he had acquired over the last 20 years, with the sole exception of his personal house in Delhi.
Following this personal pledge, Kishor made a direct request to the electorate of Bihar:
- He requested the people of Bihar to donate just ₹1,000 on a yearly basis to the Jan Suraaj Party.
- He asserted that he would refuse to meet anyone who did not contribute this specific amount to the party.
Future Campaign Strategy: ‘Bihar Navnirman Sankalp Yatra’
Looking ahead, Kishor outlined his party’s strategy to engage with the public, focusing on grassroots awareness and organizational strength.
- Under the ‘Bihar Navnirman Sankalp Yatra,’ he stated that his party workers and he would visit all houses in the state over the next “15-18 months.”
- This extensive outreach is intended to “create awareness among the people about the misdeeds of this government” and strengthen the party’s organizational base before the main campaign begins.
Criticism of NDA and Recent Election Results
Kishor used the opportunity to criticize the ruling NDA government, specifically regarding cash transfers. He asserted that his party would work to ensure the ₹2 lakh promised by the NDA ahead of the polls reaches the women in Bihar.
He also alleged that the NDA had “purchased votes by transferring ₹10,000 into the bank account of more than 1 crore women,” claiming that the ruling coalition now has “no concern” for the state or its people. Kishor defiantly added that the state government was free to put him “behind bars” if he was “saying anything wrong.”
It is notable that in the recently concluded Bihar Assembly elections, Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party contested 238 of the 243 seats but failed to win any, despite reportedly garnering considerable public support. The NDA registered a decisive victory in those polls, securing 202 seats, while the opposition Mahagathbandhan won 35 seats.