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The Print
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Gloves off as NDA leaders, Prashant Kishor trade barbs in run-up to high-stakes Bihar polls
In response, Prashant Kishor alleged that BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal did not know the 'A, B, C' of social media and claimed that BJP workers operated the accounts in question. He said instead of making false accusations, former minister Jaiswal should explain how he illegally established 'kavja (control)' over a minority medical college in Kishanganj. In a fresh attack, the BJP in Bihar has accused Prashant Kishor of using social media accounts—falsely identifying as BJP accounts—in the Jan Suraaj election campaign, creating confusion among the BJP voters. On Wednesday, in a written complaint to the cyber cell of the Patna police, the BJP demanded action against Prashant Kishor for the fraudulent use of the accounts, which have defamed the ruling party in Bihar. New Delhi: Ahead of the assembly election in Bihar, the Bharatiya Janata Party has escalated its attack on Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, who was the brain behind the BJP's 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign when he was working as a political strategist. Prashant Kishor's latest attack on Jaiswal is the third in a series, coming after clashing with JD(U) leader Ashok Choudhary, followed by his row with BJP leader Mangal Pandey. Earlier, in his complaint, Jaiswal said, 'Prashant Kishor is using fake BJP accounts to promote Jan Suraaj. This is a cybercrime, and the cyber cell should take action.' Moreover, Jaiswal told the media, 'After his flop rally at Gandhi Maidan, Prashant Kishor is resorting to such dirty tricks for his publicity. He has been using such tactics for years. How can he use a BJP page to post anti-BJP content and defame the party?' 'He (Kishor) claimed ten lakh people would come to his rallies, but not even ten thousand are showing up. Now, he and his team are using these tricks. Any BJP account must be started only by the organisation; no one can create a BJP or JDU account and post anything,' he added. Addressing the media, Prashant Kishor countered Jaiswal, saying, 'It was a Facebook group run by BJP members. Anyone can post on that open group. Instead of accusing others, Jaiswal should explain how he captured the medical college in Kishanganj. There should be an investigation into the matter.' 'That man (Dilip Jaiswal) does not even understand that he was pointing fingers towards the BJP in an X post on his page. It is a Facebook group managed by two BJP workers since 2016, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Jan Suraaj, and BJP have commented on some of the posts,' Kishor said, adding, 'I have taught social media to their seniors.' He further said: 'Tell Dilip Jaiswal his party is in power, at the Centre and in Bihar. Let the DGP investigate. If I have done anything wrong, I will retire from politics. If I am right, Jaiswal, with his hands folded, should issue an apology to the Bihar youth. He should instead explain the college's capture and the murder of its founder.' Anmol Sovit, who has been in charge of the Bihar BJP social media team, told The Print, 'We have one verified page of Bihar BJP, but many unofficial pages are running with the name of BJP. We have filed complaints to block such pages and groups. How can anyone run a group under the BJP name and post anything?' Bihar BJP spokesperson Danish Iqbal told ThePrint, 'We have made complaints against such pages run by our opponents.' Speaking to ThePrint, a Jan Suraaj leader defended the party, saying, 'BJP workers run that group—created in 2015—before the Jan Suraaj existed. Ankit Raj and Megan Yadav presented their credentials as two members of the BJP. How can the BJP blame Jan Suraaj now? Failing to find anything substantial against Prashant Kishor, it is now targeting social media posts out of desperation.' Also Read: Sushil Modi died untimely due to ill treatment by 'senior party leader', says BJP's Ashwini Choubey Prashant Kishor vs Ashok Choudhary As the assembly election approaches, Prashant Kishor, who earlier targeted only Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav during his rallies, has now begun attacking other JD(U) ministers and BJP leaders to consolidate his voter base in the state. JD(U) leader and Nitish confidant Ashok Choudhary had become his first target. Kishor accused the minister of the rural work department, Bihar, of buying a Lok Sabha ticket from Chirag Paswan's party for his daughter, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary. After Kishor's allegations, Ashok Choudhary sent a defamation notice to the Jan Suraaj founder for making false claims. Kishor, however, continued to attack Choudhary for allegedly giving a bribe to Chirag for an LS seat ticket for Shambhavi. Now, he is fighting a legal case against Prashant Kishor in court. A day ago, Prashant Kishor again accused Ashok Choudhary of 'dynasty politics' after reports about his son-in-law's appointment as a member of a state commission surfaced. He said, 'Ashok Choudhary is an all-party leader. His father, Mahavir Choudhary, was in Congress, he is in JD(U), his daughter Sambhavi is in LJP, and now, his son-in-law is a member of the Dharmik Nyas Board, Bihar, on RSS quota.' 'Only RJD has no members from his family. His family has been in politics for three decades. How many Dalits has he helped? During his tenure as education minister, why did only three percent of Dalits pass the Class 12 exam?' Prashant Kishor further asked. Prashant Kishor vs Mangal Pandey Minister of Health and Law in Bihar Mangal Pandey became Prashant Kishor's second target after the rape of a Dalit child who died later due to a lack of medical treatment. Over the last few weeks, Kishor has attacked him for Bihar's crumbling health infrastructure. At a press meet in Muzaffarpur, Kishor said, 'During COVID-19, Mangal Pandey was the health and law minister, but lakhs of people died due to a lack of oxygen and infrastructure. Now, a Dalit girl has died at Patna Medical College & Hospital (PMCH). He should tell the public why doctors refused to treat her. He should resign if he has no answers.' Of late, the Jan Suraaj Party has posted pictures of the condition of a primary health centre in Mangal Pandey's village to embarrass him. The party has not only protested and led a candle march after the child's rape but also continued to put pressure on the BJP and Mangal Pandey. Nowadays, the Jan Suraaj founder attacks Pandey in most of his rallies. At one of them, Prashant Kishor said, 'In a hospital, rats chewed off a patient's finger. The health minister should introspect instead of speaking to the media. Those involved in corruption over cotton and bandage purchases should not talk about honesty.' Manoj Kumar Bharti, the Jan Suraaj Bihar president, told ThePrint, 'We have demanded the prime minister sack Mangal Pandey. Action only against health officials is not enough. He can not escape responsibility. Why was the girl not treated at the Patna Medical College & Hospital? How insensitive is the health department under Mangal Pandey?' Speaking to ThePrint, a BJP state vice-president said, 'In Bihar's caste politics, Prashant Kishor may not be a big threat to the NDA, but he can act as a spoiler. Earlier, we assumed he would damage the RJD, but now he attacks Nitish Kumar, Narendra Modi, and ministers, one by one.' 'Since RJD, BJP, and JD(U) cannot give tickets to every aspirant, those left out may join Jan Suraaj. In elections, even 5,000 votes can determine victory or defeat. That is why he can be another Chirag Paswan in 2025. The BJP has started attacking Prashant Kishor to limit damage. Our biggest asset is our governance record, which he has also been targeting—this could be challenging,' the BJP state V-P said. The fight for Dalit votes Another flashpoint is the NDA's ticket aspirants. The latest case involved influencer Manish Kashyap, inducted before the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi by Bhojpuri star-turned-leader Manoj Tiwari. The social media influencer with 8.75 million YouTube followers met the BJP president when joining the party. Kashyap, however, was later beaten at the Patna Medical College & Hospital and left the BJP, accusing its leaders of not giving him space and humiliating him. He is set to join Prashant Kishor's party on 23 June and is ready to contest from the Chanpatia assembly seat, a BJP stronghold. Another Bhojpuri star, Pawan Singh, who helped the INDIA bloc candidate to defeat Upendra Kushwaha in the Lok Sabha election, is also in talks with Jan Suraaj. According to BJP leaders, in the upcoming state polls, every party is trying to capture the Dalit votes, from Rahul Gandhi to Chirag Paswan and RJD. The NDA alliance is also trying to expand its share. In recent weeks, Prashant Kishor has raised the Dalit child rape issue, targeted Chirag Paswan and Ashok Choudhary, and engaged with established Dalit leaders to enter Dalit constituencies. 'He belongs to the upper caste, so he is attacking Mangal Pandey. He has traction among the youth. We are aware of the challenge of vote fragmentation. We aim to consolidate them,' according to the BJP leaders. Talking about election prospects, Bihar BJP General Secretary Jagannath Thakur told The Print, 'Voters who have already seen development under the NDA and want more of it will vote for the BJP. We aim to prevent the split of these development-driven votes.' (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: JD(U) suffers setback in Seemanchal as Mujahid Alam quits over endorsement of waqf act amendments
India Gazette
08-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Prashant Kishor is pure businessman, he is here to cheat people: JD(U) MLC Sanjay Singh
Patna (Bihar) [India], June 8 (ANI): JD(U) MLC Sanjay Singh on Sunday criticised Prashant Kishor, founder of Jan Suraaj, calling him a 'pure businessman' who aims to cheat people. Singh accused Kishor of being opportunistic, questioning his credibility and motives and pointed out that Uday Singh, appointed by Kishor as the national president of Jan Suraaj, comes from a political family, contradicting Kishor's stance against dynasty politics. 'Founder of Jan Suraaj, Prashant Kishor is a pure businessman. He is here to cheat people. If we talk about dynasty, the national president he has made, Uday Singh, he also comes from a political family,' Sanjay Singh told ANI. Singh challenged Kishor's assertion that he played a crucial role in Nitish Kumar's 2015 victory, asking where Kishor was from 2005 to 2015 and mocked Kishor's association with Congress, saying he 'held the 'khaat rally' and left the Congress on the 'ghaat',' implying that Kishor's efforts did not yield significant results. 'The CM gave him so much respect, and he says that because of him, Nitish Kumar won in 2015. Where was he from 2005-2015? In 2017, he went to UP, and Congress got 114 seats, and won 7 seats under him. He held the 'khaat rally' and left the Congress on the 'ghaat'. Nobody can form a party from the money and come to power,' he added. He further alleged that his main aim is to convert black money to white money. 'Nitish Kumar brought him and made him chairman. He wanted to become Deputy CM. There is no one so ambitious as Prashant Kishor,' he added. Earlier Prashant Kishor hit out at former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on June 5, saying that while Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief has aspirations for his son, Tejaswhi Yadav to be 'King of Bihar', who did not pass class 9, the children of common people are not getting jobs despite completing graduation. Taking a swipe at the RJD chief, he said that he is only praising Lalu Yadav, and people should learn how to take care of their children from him. 'We need to learn from Lalu Prasad Yadav how to worry about children. Lalu ji's son did not pass the 9th class, but Lalu Yadav is so worried about his child that he still wants him to become the king of Bihar. When we say this, people say that we complain about him. No! We are praising Lalu Yadav,' Kishor said while addressing a public gathering in Bihar's Saran on Wednesday. Kishor is in Saran as part of the 'Bihar Badlav Yatra' (Journey for change in Bihar). He further said, 'You look at your condition. Your child has passed matriculation and graduated, but he is still not getting a job, even as a peon.' Earlier on June 4, during a rally at Taraiya area in Saran, Kishor said that the strong response to his rallies shows the public's shared frustration regarding corruption, which plagues Bihar, and reflects a collective desire for change. 'It's not my personal graph that's rising -- it's the growing aspiration of the people who want to see real change in Bihar. These people gathered here are not my relatives, nor are they from my caste. They come from diverse sections of society. But what unites them is a shared frustration -- everyone is fed up with the corruption that plagues Bihar. There is a collective desire for change,' Kishor told reporters. Bihar elections are expected to be held later this year in October or November, however, no official date has been announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI). (ANI)
Mint
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Mint
When are Bihar Elections 2025 expected to be held?
The Bihar Elections will be held between October and November this year. The polls are likely to see a tight contest between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal United (JDU), and the Mahagathbandhan or INDIA bloc led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress. Advertisement This year, Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party is all set to make a debut in the Bihar Elections and contest all the 243 assembly seats. When are Bihar Elections expected to be held? While the Election Commission (EC) has yet to announce the poll schedule, the elections are expected to take place before November 22, 2025. According to the Election Commission's data, the term of the 243-member Bihar Assembly ends on November 22. By that time, the whole election process — including voting, counting and declaration of the Chief Minister — must be completed. Voting for all 243 assembly constituencies in Bihar may be held sometime in October or November this year. The model code of conduct can be implemented between September and October. Advertisement Meanwhile, sources told India Today TV that the Bihar 2025 Assembly elections will likely be conducted in two to three phases. Moreover, the poll schedule is expected to be planned, keeping in view major festivals like Diwali and Chhath Puja, sources said. In the last two assembly elections, voting in Bihar took place in multiple phases. In the 2020 Bihar Assembly Elections, the voting took place in three phases — 71 constituencies voted on October 28, 94 constituencies voted on November 3, and 78 constituencies voted on November 7. The election results were declared on November 10. In 2015, the Bihar elections were held in five phases. The Election Commission of India is yet to announce official dates for the Bihar Elections 2025. Advertisement While the NDA, consisting of BJP, JD(U), and LJP, will be once again looking to continue their stint in Bihar, INDIA bloc – consisting of RJD, Congress, and left parties – will be looking to unseat Nitish Kumar.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Prashant Kishor slapped with defamation suit by Bihar minister Ashok Choudhary
Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary filed a defamation suit against Prashant Kishor for alleging he bribed Chirag Paswan to secure a Lok Sabha ticket for his daughter. Choudhary demands Kishor prove the bribery claim or apologize, vowing to pursue the matter to the Supreme Court if necessary. He criticized Kishor as a 'political trader' unable to accept his daughter's success. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Bihar minister and senior JD(U) leader Ashok Choudhary on Tuesday filed a defamation suit against Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor for alleging that he had bribed Union minister Chirag Paswan to secure a Lok Sabha ticket for his whose daughter Shambhavi is Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP from the reserved constituency of Samastipur, spoke to journalists at the civil court."After Prashant Kishor made objectionable remarks against my daughter and me, I sent him a legal notice, to which his reply was unsatisfactory. He clearly has no regret for what he had said," the JD(U) national general secretary said."I have therefore taken recourse to legal remedy. I challenge Prashant Kishor to prove that I had paid money to Chirag Paswan or withdraw his allegations with an apology. I am determined to take this fight to the Supreme Court, if the need arises," he described Kishor, a former poll strategist who had been briefly associated with the JD(U), as "a political trader, who has offered his services to parties of all hues for a fee"."In contrast, we are purely in politics. I am myself a second-generation politician. My daughter is the youngest MP. Prashant Kishor is unable to digest this feat of a Dalit girl," alleged Choudhary, a key aide of Chief Minister Nitish late father Mahavir Choudhary had been a minister when the state was ruled by the who has been digging in his heels since Choudhary threatened him with legal action, was not immediately available for comments on the latest development.
India Gazette
01-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Pakistan wanted ceasefire out of fear": Prashant Kishor criticises government's cessation of hostilities decision
East Champaran (Bihar) [India], June 1 (ANI): Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor openly questioned the Indian government's decision to agree to a cessation of hostilities with Pakistan, suggesting it may have been a missed opportunity for the Indian Army to push its advantage further. He said that Pakistan initiated the cessation, indicating that Pakistan was under pressure and fearful of defeat. 'I'm thinking, if Pakistan wanted a ceasefire, that means our army was doing a good job, we were defeating Pakistan. It must have been out of fear that Pakistan wanted a ceasefire. So if Pakistan wanted a ceasefire, why did we agree to it? The Army should have let it go on for two more days,' he said during a press conference in East Champaran on Saturday. He also praised External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, calling him 'very educated and sensible.' 'Regarding the issue of the ceasefire, our country's EAM Jaishankar is a very educated and sensible person. I have great respect for him. I read his statement where he said the ceasefire was done at Pakistan's initiative,' he added. According to Kishor, the situation on the ground suggested that India's military was in control. 'That's exactly what our army personnel are saying, what the citizens of this country are saying, that during the fight, we had them on the back foot, sirens were going off, people were hiding, Pakistan was on the defensive, begging for a ceasefire.' Kishor was referring to External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar's comments in which he had said that it was the militaries of the two nations that negotiated directly and resolved the conflict through agreement and understanding for a cessation of fire and military action. He went on to challenge claims made by foreign leaders about who led peace efforts. 'Although, Trump was being told something else, that we did it, we deserve a Nobel Peace Prize, we brought peace, we intimidated them. But why should we believe what Trump said? We will believe our own Foreign Minister.' On May 23, days after United States President Donald trump claimed that he played a role in settling the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reiterated that it was the militaries of the two nations that negotiated directly. In an interview with Danish media TV2 Channel, S Jaishankar said, 'We resolved that conflict for the moment in its particular military form through agreement and understanding for a cessation of firing and military action. This was something that we negotiated directly between the militaries of the two countries. The trigger for it was that, after we had had fighting for a few days, we hit them very hard on a particular morning, the morning of the 10th, to be precise. That caused the Pakistanis to say, OK, you know, we're prepared to stop the firing and, you know, reach an understanding about how to deal with it,' Prashant Kishor's statement comes ahead of the Bihar Assembly election to be held in October-Novembe this year wherein the NDA, which consists of the BJP, JD(U), and LJP, will be once again looking forward to returning to power. In contrast, the INDIA Bloc will be giving competition to the incumbent Nitish Kumar government. (ANI)
