'BJP will suffer the same fate as...': Prashant Kishor's bold prediction ahead of Jan Suraaj Party launch

Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor on Tuesday made a bold prediction that the BJP would face a similar political downfall in Bihar as the Congress did after backing Lalu Prasad's "jungle raaj." Kishor argued that the BJP has propped up Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who he claimed is not "physically and mentally" fit to run the state, for its own political gains.

Speaking a day before the official launch of his Jan Suraaj Party, Kishor said, "Everyone knows that Kumar is in the last phase of his politics and that polls cannot be won in his name. Even his supporters know that in his current physical, mental, and political state, he is in no way in a condition to run a state like Bihar."

Kishor went on to claim that the BJP will be "punished" for aligning with Nitish Kumar and holding on to power in Bihar for the sake of its dominance in Delhi. "The Congress helped Lalu Prasad run a 'jungle raaj' for 15 years, and the people of Bihar completely uprooted the Congress. The BJP will suffer the same fate," he said while speaking to the news agency PTI.

According to Kishor, the BJP has to keep Kumar in power due to its dependence on JD(U) MPs for its central government. "It knows that its alliance will lose if he remains at the helm, but it is the political compulsion of the BJP," he added.

Kishor pointed to Nitish Kumar's silence on key issues facing Bihar, such as the state's recurring floods, disputes over land surveys, and the installation of smart meters, as evidence of his lack of fitness to govern. "A big section in Bihar is wondering if Nitish Kumar is mentally and physically fit to provide leadership," Kishor said, basing his assessment on the chief minister's reduced public engagement.

The JD(U), however, has consistently maintained that Nitish Kumar remains the face of good governance in Bihar. Asked if he sees Kumar leading the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the next assembly elections due in early 2025, Kishor predicted that Kumar's political career is nearing its end. He referenced the JD(U)'s poor performance in the 2020 elections, where it won only 42 seats, compared to the BJP's 74 and the RJD's 75.

Kishor criticised the BJP for its decision to continue supporting Kumar despite holding more seats in the assembly. "The BJP breaks up other parties across the country by hook or by crook but has chosen to impose Kumar on Bihar due to its need for JD(U) MPs," he said.

Expressing confidence in the success of his party, Kishor said that Bihar's voters have been left without real alternatives, forcing them to choose between the two main alliances. His two-year padyatra, he said, was aimed at creating an environment for change. "People will rise above caste, religion, and the mandir-masjid issue to vote solely for the future of their children's education and employment. Jan Suraaj will be that instrument of change," he claimed.

Kishor asserted that his party would win an absolute majority in the next assembly elections, adding that his party will not ally with any other formation. "Bihar is ready for a change in the assembly elections expected next year," he said.

His Jan Suraaj Abhiyaan is set to take formal shape as a political party on Wednesday, October 2. When asked whether he would contest the election or be the party's chief ministerial candidate, Kishor said that decision would be left to the party's leadership. "If they think it will be good for me to contest, I will."