Will ’caste-entrenched’ Bihar accept Prashant Kishor’s politics of ‘change’? Here is what makes him confident

Prashant Kishor is yet to announce his political party but has stated that the new entrant in Bihar politics will contest from all 243 seats in the Nitish Kumar-ruled state. He also expressed confidence that his party will win the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections with an absolute majority without forging any alliance.

But a few questions are being asked again and again: How will Prashant Kishor fit into a political landscape where caste politics plays a crucial role? And how will he fight with his new political party against “established leaders” like Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav? And why is he confident of winning the state elections next year?

Bihar is among several states where caste politics is prevalent.However, Prashant Kishor’s political message has been based on the People’s well-being, education, employment and the plight of migrant workersHe has not been involved in caste politics so far, leaving many wondering whether people will vote for him in the 2025 state elections.

Prashant Kishor’s political message and transformative change

Pawan Varma, a political analyst and former Rajya Sabha MP, told Mint: “While caste has become entrenched in Bihar politics, it has been used to empower political leaders where people are made puppets of their ambitions…”

He explained the power of Kishor’s “vote for change” message.

“In a way, your [Kishor] “The call is: irrespective of the creed or caste of the candidates… vote for what is good for you and what will change your life, and you will be surprised that in a state as entrenched in caste as Bihar… there is the capacity to succeed in giving this message…” Varma said.

Varma said that millions of people support Kishor and thousands attend his rallies. He hopes that the ‘Jan Suraaj’ party, when formed, “will not only do well, but win on its own strength, based on this word-based approach and a change in political message…”

Jan Suraaj by the people, for the people

In an interview with India Today in May this year, Prashant Kishor cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an example. He asked, “How many people are there from the caste to which PM Modi belongs?” He added that it is not PM Modi but his representatives who contest elections.

Similarly, “It’s not like Prashant Kishor to contest all 243 seats in Bihar…I will do it too Making the people of Bihar society fight in elections [which will have people from other communities]…”, said.

Simple messages, transformative changes: “Change your life”

Varma said Kishor “has been living almost continuously in the villages of Bihar, working to bring about transformational change in Bihar.” He exuded confidence: “In 10 years, he will make Bihar one of the best progressive states in India through transformational change.”

Varma said Kishor’s message simply says that after 30 years of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav, “Bihar is exactly where it was 30 years ago – at the bottom of various indices, including poverty, disease, economic growth, health and development.”

“Bihar needs change,” he said.

Prashant Kishor’s message has been that people or political parties have been taking “their vote in the name of caste, religion and the name of leaders to come to power but have not fulfilled the promises of changing their lives,” Varma said.

“So your [Kishor’s] The message is about giving the power to change your life, like your choice where you vote, not because of these things. [caste, religion] but yourself, your family, your children and your well-being,” he said.

Democracy and representation of 5 communities

Varma, who has attended meetings organised by Prashant Kishor’s organisation, said every decision within the organisation was taken after a vote.

“Every issue was put to a vote – whether we should form a party, whether we should wait until March next year to announce the party… who should be the party president, the term of the president,” Varma said.

He added that there are five distinct communities in Bihar: General, OBC, Dalits and Scheduled Tribes, Muslims, EBC“Based on their talent, which is there in these communities, we will have representation, both in the distribution of seats, in the cabinet,” he said.

Varma said There would be an “operational presidency” in the ‘Jan Suraaj’ party“Each of these categories will have a one-year presidency… This is a completely different administration…” he said.

Kishor’s grassroots connection and organizational strategy

Prashant Kishor launched a ‘padayatra’ of Jan Suraaj two years ago on October 2, 2022. Since then, he has visited thousands of villages in Bihar to understand the problems faced by people at the local level.

Varma said: “He [Kishor] He has lived, walked and stood with the people of Bihar. You should see the response to his simple message that you should vote for yourselves, vote for your children…”

“I started this yatra two years ago… from Champaran… since then… It has a base connection that has been consolidated. “For an exceptionally well-designed organisational strategy, where he has consolidated the party’s position across the spheres he has passed through…”, said Varma.

Crores support Kishor

Varma said: “…it is a totally new movement with a million participants who are rebuilding Bihar politically anew.”

He added that Kishor’s “political acceptance in Bihar is very high.” Describing one of Kishor’s meetings he attended, Varma said it was held at the hall near Gandhi Maidan, which has a capacity of 10,000 people. “There were 12,000 to 13,000 people inside the hall and another 3,000 to 4,000 outside,” he said.

“This was followed by several more meetings which we attended in the same manner… there are five more such meetings which led to the formation of the party on October 2 this year,” Varma said.

“In other words, you have a growing audience talking about how Biharis are changing their role, their destiny and their future by taking the right decision to change…” Varma said.

Can Prashant Kishor beat Nitish, Lalu?

In a interview On Republic Bharat, Kishor said, “Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav have not got even 25 per cent of the votes in the last 25-30 years. “Laluji had last won in Bihar, on his own, in 1995… Nitish Kumar has never been able to contest elections from more than 140 seats… The BJP is a big party which got 19.6 per cent of the votes in the last assembly elections.”

He said politics in Bihar is “fragmented” and added that Nitish Kumar is on his last leg as a politician.

Prashant Kishor will be launching his party ‘Jan Suraaj’ on October 2 this year. He had said, “…Jan Suraaj will win in Bihar on his own in 2025 [without joining any alliance]”Jan Suraaj will contest from 242 Assembly seats and will come to power with a majority.” She recently announced that women from her party will contest from at least 70-80 seats.