‘Nitish Kumar Would Win Only 25 Seats Without Rs 10k Transfers’

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Tuesday accused Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) of “buying votes” in the recent Assembly elections, claiming the party would have been limited to just 25 seats without government transfers of Rs 10,000 each to over 60,000 beneficiaries in every constituency. He alleged the NDA promised nearly Rs 40,000 crore to 1.5 crore women, disbursing much of it just before polling.

Addressing a press conference, Kishor took full responsibility for his party’s failure to win a single seat in its electoral debut. “None of our candidates is going to the Assembly. People’s mandate for us is to go among the people and struggle,” he said. “You are not defeated until you quit,” he added.

While acknowledging mistakes, Kishor emphasized that Jan Suraaj did not engage in divisive politics or “buying the votes of innocent people.” He described “vote chori (theft)” as a nationwide issue and urged the national Opposition to deliberate and, if necessary, approach the Supreme Court. “Vote chori is a nationwide challenge and I urge the national Opposition to deliberate and, if necessary, approach the Supreme Court,” he stated.

When asked if he misread Bihar, Kishor admitted, “Yes, I failed to understand Bihar, unlike Nitish Kumar and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary who divided people on caste and religious lines and bought votes using money.”

Reiterating his pre-poll pledge to quit politics if JD(U) crossed 25 seats, Kishor declared he would “definitely quit” if the NDA fulfills its promise of Rs 2 lakh each to 1.5 crore women under self-employment schemes. “Between Nitish Kumar and his victory, there is only one thing — buying of 60,000 votes per constituency at Rs 10,000,” he claimed.

Kishor urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar to honor the commitment fully. “People who don’t get the money in six months’ time can come to Jan Suraaj. We will fight to ensure they get it,” he said, also calling on the NDA to exclude “corrupt and criminal elements” from the new government.

Before the polls, Kishor had flagged corruption allegations against NDA leaders like Samrat Choudhary, Ashok Chaudhary, and Mangal Pandey. As a gesture of “repentance” for failing to convince voters, he announced a day’s fast on November 20 at Bhitiharwa in West Champaran, coinciding with the new NDA government’s likely oath-taking.

The NDA secured a landslide with 202 seats in the 243-member Assembly: BJP 89, JD(U) 85, LJP(RV) 19, HAM five, and RLM four. Jan Suraaj won none.

The Bihar government had distributed the first Rs 10,000 instalment under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, promising additional Rs 2 lakh in subsequent tranches. Kishor’s accusations highlight ongoing debates over electoral integrity, with his party vowing to continue the fight for transparency and accountability.