Election strategist Prashant Kishor on Thursday announced he will begin a 3,000-km foot march from Bihar’s West Champaran on Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) even as he was not floating a political party, for now, days after his cryptic tweet about going directly to the people created a buzz in political circles on Monday. He said Bihar needs a new order and added it is not necessary to contest elections alone for this.
Kishor said he will meet around 17,000 people from different fields and take their views on taking Bihar forward over the next three to four months. “If they decide to have a political party or organisation, then we will take a call by August-September,” he said, adding that he will not be the proposed party’s all in all. “It is going to be a collective effort.”
Kishor referred to his march from West Champaran, where Mahatma Gandhi launched his resistance against the British in 1917, and said Bihar has a very rich history. He added the march will help him connect with people and understand the ground realities. “I will take people who want the change and have the will to change.”
Kishor said any decision on floating the party will be taken only after meeting people who share the same thoughts about Jan Suraj (good governance).
In his tweet on Monday, Kishor, 45, who has been toying with the idea of entering politics in his home state of Bihar, said his quest to be a meaningful participant in democracy and help shape pro-people policy led to a 10-year roller-coaster ride. He added it was time to go to the real masters, the people, to better understand the issues and the path to good governance.
Kishore’s announcements come when Bihar is in a state of flux. There have been murmurs of chief minister Nitish Kumar facing an existential crisis within the ruling coalition even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has maintained there is no question of a change of chief ministership. The BJP is the bigger party in the legislature, with 77 lawmakers while Janata Dal (United) or JD (U) has 43. There has been a talk of Kumar either moving to Delhi or stepping down.
On Thursday, Kishor said over the last 30 years, supporters of both Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad and Kumar claim development took place during their tenures in the state in their own way. “Lalu Prasad’s supporters claim development with social justice while Nitish Kumar’s supporters claim development on economic and social parameters. There is some truth in their claims.”
Kishor said Bihar, however, remains the most backward, poorest state and is placed at the lowest rank. “Over the next 10-15 years, the same road cannot take us forward. It requires new thought; new effort and no single person can do this. It requires joint effort,” he said. He added most of the 350-odd people he has met over the last three-four days believe that the state needs a new awakening.
Kishor has previously worked with parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC). He was expelled from Kumar’s JD(U) in January 2020 for criticising the party’s stand on the Citizenship Amendment Act. Kishor, who last week turned down an offer to join the Congress, did not rule out joining a party in the future. “Even if I am in Congress, my work will be Bihar-centric.”
Kishor said there have been numerous instances in Bihar when people have risen above caste to vote for suitable candidates. “Every caste has good people who are always thinking of state’s interest and in its improvement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi got the maximum votes in Bihar. So, how can I believe that people do not vote outside caste,” said Kishor, a Brahmin, in response to a question on caste as a factor in Bihar politics.
Kishor maintained that he has no personal enmity with Kumar. “If I meet him that does not mean that I am in agreement with him. He has three-year tenure left. Let him work,” he said.
Kishor said he is a beginner and not thinking about how to counter RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, who is also the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, at the moment.
BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said Kishor is trying to enhance his image and political branding. “…Bihar is not a fool’s paradise. People know everything. He is being promoted by some political parties,” said Anand.
RJD leader Mritunjay Tiwary said everybody has the right to form a party. “Let first people take him seriously then we will see,” said Tiwary.
Political expert D M Diwakar said there is no immediate political space for Kishor in Bihar. “PK [Kishor] is basically an election manager. With no immediate business in sight, he is looking for business through padyatra [march] for the next election. You never know, he might try to influence parties through the feedback accumulated during the padyatra.” He added Kishor knows that his upper-caste background cannot be of much help to him.