Prashant Kishor tweaks prediction for JD(U) in Bihar elections: 'Picture grown bleaker'

Prashant Kishor

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Wednesday repeated his prediction about the fate of Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) in the upcoming Bihar election, saying that the party may not even cross 25 seats this time.

In an interview to PTI, the political strategist-turned-politician said that the ruling NDA is set for a certain defeat in Bihar and called out the BJP-led coalition over the inability to finalise seats and candidates. Kishor was referring to murmurs that some leaders within NDA are unhappy over seat-sharing and candidate selection.

Kishor, who had earlier recently said that JD(U) would struggle to win even "25 seats" in the 243-strong assembly, has now claimed that the picture has only grown bleaker for the Nitish Kumar-led outfit.

"The NDA is definitely on its way out and Nitish Kumar will not return as chief minister," he said.

"You do not need to be a psephologist to fathom what is in store for the JD(U). In the last assembly polls, Chirag Paswan staged a revolt just a few days ahead of the announcement of elections and fielded candidates, many of whom were inconsequential, against nominees of Kumar's party, causing its tally to crash to 43", recalled Kishor.

He also claimed that there was "complete chaos" in NDA, and it was still unclear which seats the BJP would contest and where the JD(U) wants to field its candidates.

"The situation is no better in the INDIA bloc either. There is a never-ending tiff between RJD and the Congress. And nobody knows if former state minister Mukesh Sahani’s Vikassheel Insaan Party is still by their side", claimed Kishor.

During the interview, Kishor also said he has decided not to contest the two-phase Bihar elections, ending days of suspense that he may challenge Tejashwi Yadav from Raghopur. "The party has decided that I should not contest the assembly polls. And therefore, the party has announced another candidate from Raghopur, against Tejashwi Yadav. It was a decision we took in the larger interest of the party. If I were to contest, it would have distracted me from the necessary organisational work", Kishor said.