Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, questioning his decision to move to the Rajya Sabha despite leading an alliance that once enjoyed a massive mandate in the state Assembly.
Speaking to ANI, Kishor said Nitish Kumar’s political decline was partly self-inflicted and claimed the JD(U) veteran had suffered because of the people he chose to align with over the years.
The remarks come amid continuing political churn in Bihar after Nitish Kumar, one of the state’s longest-serving chief ministers, took oath as a Rajya Sabha member last month. BJP leader Samrat Choudhary is now serving as the chief minister. The BJP and JD(U) remain allies in the ruling NDA in Bihar.
“There is a saying: if you associate with the wrong kind of people, only bad things will happen to you. To a certain extent, Nitishji himself is responsible for what has befallen him,” Kishor told ANI.
He further alleged that Nitish Kumar’s political weakening encouraged leaders within his own camp to abandon him.
“When Nitish Kumar showed signs of political weakness, his own people sold him politically. This is clear to the entire populace of Bihar,” he said.
Kishor also questioned why a leader backed by a strong electoral mandate would opt for the Upper House instead of remaining at the centre of Bihar politics.
“Why would a person with a mandate of 202 seats choose to go to the Rajya Sabha? Aligning with the wrong elements inevitably leads to bad outcomes,” he added.
Prashant Kishor announces aggressive Bankipur push
Apart from targeting Nitish Kumar, the Jan Suraaj chief also outlined his party’s strategy for the upcoming Bankipur Assembly contest, saying the seat would be fought “with full force”.
The constituency fell vacant after BJP leader Nitin Nabin stepped down.
Kishor claimed Jan Suraaj would attempt to break the BJP’s long-standing dominance in the constituency, which he described as a saffron stronghold for the past four decades.
“It will not be difficult for Jan Suraaj at all. Jan Suraaj has resolved that Bankipur, which has served as a BJP stronghold for the past 40 years, will be contested by Jan Suraaj with full force,” he said.
He added that the party would launch an intensive public outreach campaign in the constituency over the next month.
“It has been decided that the party will go door-to-door, intensifying the public outreach campaign over the coming month, seeking the opinions of the people, and doing whatever it takes to ensure the BJP is defeated there,” Kishor said.
According to the 2025 Bihar Assembly election results, the BJP had emerged as the single-largest party with 89 seats, while JD(U) secured 85 seats as part of the NDA alliance.