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Political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj Party (JSP) has faced a disappointing electoral start in Bihar. The party contested 238 seats but failed to win even a single seat.
As of 1:30 pm, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was leading on 196 seats, the Grand Alliance (MGB) on 42 seats and others on five seats. The NDA beat exit poll projections and won more than 50% of the votes. The MGB performed poorly, with its numbers falling from 110 to 40 in the 2020 state elections.
Party spokesperson Pawan K. Verma said the party would “seriously review” its performance as early trends showed little impact of the JSP despite a two-year grassroots campaign.
Within the NDA, BJP is leading on 88 seats and JD(U) on 80 seats, with allies LJP(RV) (22) and HAM(S) (5) further strengthening the front.
MGB’s lead was based on RJD’s 30 seats, followed by Congress (4) and Left parties (6).
The results were in stark contrast to Kishor’s expectation of winning at least 140 seats. He had earlier said that even a win of 140 seats would be a shock, insisting that his mission went beyond electoral success. He had said, “I am not a king.” I am the kingmaker.
The data shows that Kishor’s party is struggling to make any headway anywhere, a stark contrast to the momentum generated by his travels and district-level mobilization over the past two years.
The party failed to gain widespread acceptance, as voters chose over one of the state’s established political players. The NDA’s welfare schemes for women helped swing the contest in its favour, while Union Minister Chirag Paswan’s alliance further strengthened the NDA’s vote base.
Verma emphasized that although the party had faltered at the ballot box, it had succeeded in motivating mainstream parties to accept key governance concerns.
On NDA’s lead, Verma told PTI that election results often defy predictions.
He said, “I have seen many elections where the results were different from the expectations. There is no doubt that Nitish ji enjoys acceptance and respect in Bihar. I have worked closely with him and we are happy that he has got the mandate of the people. We wish him well and hope that he will become the Chief Minister again.”
Responding to speculation that Prashant Kishor might leave Bihar after the setback, Verma rejected the idea.
He said, “Whether he stays or goes is his personal decision. But he cannot leave Bihar, nor can Bihar leave him. Once the full results are out, he will share his reaction on the future strategy.”