From poll strategist to people’s representative, Kishor says Bihar has spoken for change

New Delhi : Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor has described his decisive victory in the Bankipur Assembly by-election as far more than a personal political triumph, calling it a clear message from the people of Bihar to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Winning the prestigious urban constituency with 64,151 votes, Kishor defeated BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha, who secured 44,827 votes, while RJD’s Rekha Kumari Gupta finished third with 14,273 votes. The 19,324-vote victory not only marked Kishor’s electoral debut as an MLA but also ended the BJP’s uninterrupted three-decade dominance in Bankipur.

Addressing supporters after the result, Kishor termed the mandate “a victory of the people of Bankipur,” adding that democracy naturally witnesses both victories and defeats. He pledged to represent every resident of the constituency, irrespective of whether they voted for him.

According to Kishor, the bypoll was never merely about electing an MLA. Instead, he said, the electorate used the election to send a larger political signal to the BJP’s central leadership. He pointed out that the people of Bihar had already given the NDA a comfortable majority of 202 MLAs and now expected the party to prioritise the state’s future by appointing an honest, capable and credible Chief Minister.

He asserted that Bihar deserves leadership focused on improving education, creating employment opportunities, strengthening healthcare, reducing corruption and addressing the long-standing issue of migration. Making it clear that his criticism was not aimed at any individual, Kishor said the responsibility of choosing the state’s leadership now rests with the BJP, given its majority in the Assembly.

“Our fight is not against any individual. The NDA has the mandate and the Chief Minister will naturally come from the BJP. We are only appealing to the party leadership to choose someone with integrity and credibility who can genuinely transform Bihar,” he said.

Kishor also stressed that Bihar’s politics must move beyond caste equations, religious polarisation and welfare schemes alone. He argued that voters are increasingly demanding development-driven politics centred on education, industrialisation, healthcare and job creation.

Referring to Prime Minister Modi’s repeated electoral successes in Bihar, Kishor said the state has consistently supported the BJP and therefore deserves equal attention from the Centre. He expressed concern over the large-scale migration of young people from Bihar in search of low-paying jobs and said development should ensure that future generations are not compelled to leave their homes for livelihood.

Drawing a comparison with Gujarat, he remarked that if the western state could receive sustained developmental attention because of its political importance, Bihar, with its population of over 13 crore people, deserves similar focus. He called for a special development programme aimed at attracting industries, improving education and healthcare, generating employment and reducing migration.

Kishor voiced confidence that the BJP’s central leadership would understand the significance of the Bankipur verdict and take meaningful steps before the next Lok Sabha elections to strengthen governance and accelerate Bihar’s development.

Speaking about his immediate plans as the newly elected MLA, Kishor promised visible improvements in Bankipur within the next few months while acknowledging that transformation would take time. “My becoming an MLA will not turn Bankipur into Bengaluru overnight, but people will certainly witness positive changes wherever we can make a difference,” he said.

Reiterating Jan Suraaj’s larger political vision, Kishor said his party had not entered electoral politics for power or patronage but to push Bihar towards better governance and a brighter future. He maintained that the bypoll represented a growing public demand for politics centred on development rather than identity.

“The people of Bankipur have shown that they no longer want votes to be sought only in the name of caste, religion or free ration. They want quality education, better healthcare, employment opportunities and real development,” he said, warning that governments failing to address these concerns should expect similar electoral verdicts in the future.