‘Will definitely quit politics, leave Bihar if…’: Prashant Kishor renews challenge after Bihar Assembly elections debacle

PATNA(Bihar) : Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Tuesday renewed his challenge, this time declaring that he would “definitely quit politics and leave Bihar” if NDA fulfils its poll promise of transferring Rs 2 lakh each to 1.5 crore women under Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana

Prashant Kishor had promised to “quit politics” if Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) wins more than 25 seats in the Bihar Assembly elections. However, the JD(U) emerged as the second-largest party in the state, winning 85 seats.

Prashant Kishor, when reminded of his challenge, argued that it did not include the NDA “buying votes with Rs 10,000.”

“If the Nitish government gives Rs 2 lakh to 1.5 crore women, as they promised, I will definitely quit politics. If they actually implement this scheme, forget politics, I will leave Bihar itself,” Prashant Kishor said in a press conference.

“I had said that I’ll leave politics, but I haven’t said that they will buy votes for Rs 10,000. They have distributed Rs 10,000 in every assembly,” he added.

Prashant Kishor also argued that he did not say that he would quit Bihar and will continue to speak for the people of Bihar.

“What position am I holding that I should resign? I had said that if (JDU) gets more than 25 seats, I will retire. From which position should I resign? I did not say that I will leave Bihar. I have left politics. I do not do politics, but I did not say that I will stop speaking for the people of Bihar,” he said.

Prashant Kishor was addressing a press conference after his party’s drubbing in the Bihar Assembly election, where the party failed to open its account, despite contesting on 238 of the 243 seats.

The Jan Suraaj chief acknowledged the failure of his party and announced a day-long silent fast at the Gandhi Bhitiharwa Ashram on November 20th.

We made an honest effort, but it was completely unsuccessful. There’s no harm in admitting this. Forget about systemic change; we couldn’t even bring about a change in power. But we certainly played some role in changing Bihar’s politics.” Kishor said

“I will work twice as hard as you’ve seen me work over the past three years and put in all my energy. There’s no question of backing down. There’s no turning back until I fulfil my resolve to make Bihar better. I failed to explain to the people of Bihar the basis on which they should vote and why they should create a new system. Therefore, as atonement, I will observe a day-long silent fast at the Gandhi Bhitiharwa Ashram on November 20th… ” he added.

Kishor also defended his party’s track record, saying, “We may have made mistakes, but we have not committed any crime. We have not committed the crime of spreading caste-based poison in society. We have not played Hindu-Muslim politics in Bihar. We have not committed the crime of dividing people in the name of religion. We have not committed the crime of giving money to the poor, innocent people of Bihar and buying their votes”.

Following Prashant Kishor’s decision to continue his politics, BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal demanded an apology from him, while accusing him of starting his political career with lies.

“He was retiring from politics even if JDU wins 25 seats, he was retiring from politics even if Nitish Kumar becomes the Chief Minister. It is strange to say something about someone who started his own political career with lies… He should apologise to the people of Bihar that he started his political career on the basis of lies… If you work with truth, you will move ahead,” Sanjay Jaiswal said.

The NDA’s ‘tsunami’ swept away the opposition Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, with the BJP emerging as the single-largest party with 89 seats, and the Janata Dal (United) finishing a close second with 85. The other allies of the ruling coalition also registered high strike rates.

The ruling NDA got 202 seats, a three-fourths majority in the 243-member House. This is the second time the NDA has crossed the 200-mark in the assembly polls. In the 2010 polls, it had won 206 seats.

In the NDA, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 89 seats, Janata Dal (United) won 85, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJPRV) won 19,  Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (HAMS) won five, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha won four seats.

In Mahagathbandhan, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) won 25 seats, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) – CPI(ML)(L) – two, Indian Inclusive Party (IIP) – one and Communist Party of India (Marxist) – CPI(M) one seat.

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) won five seats, and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) got one seat. (ANI)