Patna: Newly elected Bankipur MLA and Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Tuesday said the Bankipur assembly by-election result showed that Bihar’s voters had rejected political arrogance and that voting in the constituency had risen above caste considerations.
Speaking to reporters after his victory, Kishor claimed the electorate had not accepted the leadership projected by the BJP and argued that the party’s traditional electoral strategies were losing their effectiveness in the state.
Kishor Criticises BJP’s Campaign Strategy
Kishor said the BJP had previously secured support by campaigning around Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and by invoking fears of a return of the Rashtriya Janata Dal led by Lalu Prasad. According to him, the Bankipur verdict indicated that voters had instead chosen to give Jan Suraaj an opportunity.
He also alleged that some local BJP leaders had become complacent, believing the party could win regardless of its candidate selection. He said the electorate had voted against what he described as political arrogance.
Calls for Leadership Focused on Development
Commenting on Bihar’s leadership, Kishor said the public wanted the BJP to appoint a Chief Minister capable of driving the state’s development. He argued that Bihar’s priorities should include improving education, creating employment opportunities for young people and reducing migration.
He further said the BJP should move beyond campaigns centred on Narendra Modi’s image, Hindutva or opposition to Lalu Prasad, and instead focus on governance issues such as education and jobs. Kishor also said political rhetoric around “encounters” should give way to discussions on development.
NDA Accepts Verdict, Calls for Introspection
Reacting to the result, Santosh Kumar Suman, National President of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Bihar’s Minister of Minor Water Resources, said the public mandate was paramount in a democracy and that the NDA accepted the verdict with humility.
Suman described the Bankipur result as an opportunity for the alliance to introspect and strengthen its efforts to meet public expectations. He also congratulated Prashant Kishor on his victory from the Bankipur assembly constituency.
