Chief Minister Nitish Kumar could be among the biggest factors to influence the coming Assembly elections in Bihar, Jan Suraaj Party founder and former JD(U) vice-president Prashant Kishor has claimed. The justification given by Kishor behind this assertion, however, may not leave Nitish too impressed.
In an interview to The Indian Express, the poll strategist-turned-politician said that Nitish's "failing health" and his "leadership" would emerge as two of the biggest deciding factors in this election.
"The two main factors which will influence the Assembly polls include Nitish’s failing health and his leadership. The moment the NDA announces him as its CM face and he is not able to address the crowd, people may make up their mind to look beyond him," Kishor said when asked about what he sees as the biggest factors that could determine the outcome of these elections.
Dismissing his opponents' criticism that his party was only in fray in Bihar to cut votes, Kishor claimed the NDA, especially Nitish, was being overestimated.
"The JSP is being underestimated. We are going to be a big factor," Kishor said, rejecting the chatter among some quarters that the JSP was in the fray in the polls this year only to test waters and that it was actually aiming for the elections in 2030.
Kishor, who covered 20 of Bihar's 38 districts as part of his padyatra ahead of the launch of his party last year, further said that the passage of the Waqf Act and the discussions in Parliament had left the JD(U) as well as the RJD exposed.
"Discussions on the Bill have exposed Lalu Prasad Yadav, whose old speech supporting an amendment in the Waqf law was quoted (by Union Home Minister Amit Shah) in Parliament. Lalu has been seen for long as the rahnuma (leader) of the Muslims but now the community needs new leaders. Nitish, who enjoyed the support of a significant chunk of the Muslim community, also stands exposed after his party supported the Bill," Kishor said.
Commenting on the BJP, Kishor said that the people have seen through BJP's polarization bid during the Citizenship Amendment Act and the ban on triple talaq.
"Muslims have seen through the motives of the NDA as well as the INDIA bloc. This is where the JSP has emerged as an option for Muslims as well as the entire state," Kishor said, adding that people of Bihar want new faces and a new dispensation.
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