Patna: Jan Suraaj Party founder and political strategist Prashant Kishor announced on Wednesday that he will not contest the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, citing the need to focus on organisational work and avoid distractions. Kishor confirmed that he will not be contesting from the Raghopur constituency, where the party has already fielded another candidate.
Speaking to reporters, Kishor said his decision was taken in the broader interest of the party. “If we don’t get more than 150 seats, I will consider it a defeat,” he said, adding that anything below 150 seats, even 120 or 130, would be a failure in his assessment. He emphasised that a strong performance would give the party a mandate to transform Bihar into one of the country’s ten most developed states.
#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor says, “The members of the party have decided that I should focus on working for the victory of the other candidates of the party, so I am not contesting the elections…” pic.twitter.com/kLRYqa7dXE
— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2025
Kishor, known for his role as a political strategist, also predicted the defeat of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). He criticised the Bihar government for its chaotic seat-sharing arrangements, stating that JD(U) and BJP had yet to clarify their plans. “The alliance has failed to finalise candidates and seats. Nitish Kumar is unlikely to return to power,” he said, pointing to the destabilising impact of Chirag Paswan’s previous rebellion on the JD(U).
Turning to the opposition, Kishor highlighted ongoing tensions within the Grand Alliance, particularly between the RJD and Congress, while noting that the political position of the VIP remains uncertain.
