Prashant Kishor Launches Ambitious Statewide Yatra to Revitalize Jan Suraaj Party
Nearly three months after his Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) suffered a crushing defeat in the Bihar Assembly elections, political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has returned to the streets with a new statewide yatra aimed at rebuilding his party from the ground up. The initiative, launched from Bagaha in West Champaran district, marks Kishor's determined effort to regroup his demoralized cadre and maintain pressure on the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government.
Bihar Navnirman Abhiyan: A Three-Month Grassroots Campaign
Kishor's "Bihar Navnirman Abhiyan" (Bihar Reconstruction Campaign) began with symbolic significance in Champaran, echoing Mahatma Gandhi's historic 1917 Satyagraha. Over the next three months, Kishor plans to traverse all 44 organizational districts of Bihar, interacting with local communities, party workers, and media representatives. The yatra represents a strategic pivot for the JSP following its disappointing electoral debut.
According to party sources, the campaign has a dual objective: re-energizing existing party cadres while recruiting new members, and keeping the spotlight on the Nitish government's implementation of key welfare schemes, particularly the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana (MMRY), popularly known as the Dashazari scheme.
Electoral Setback and Political Recalibration
The JSP's first electoral test in November 2025 proved disastrous. Despite contesting 238 of Bihar's 243 Assembly seats, the party failed to win a single constituency and secured just 3.34% of the vote share, with 235 candidates losing their deposits. This outcome forced Kishor to reconsider his political strategy after previously suggesting he might leave politics if Nitish Kumar's JD(U) won 25 seats.
Following the NDA's landslide victory with 202 seats (BJP 89, JD(U) 85), Kishor announced his intention to remain in Bihar as a "pressure group" rather than an immediate electoral contender. The new yatra represents this revised approach, focusing on grassroots mobilization rather than immediate electoral gains.
Policy Focus and Government Accountability
During his yatra launch, Kishor emphasized several key issues:
- Dashazari Scheme Implementation: He demanded the government fulfill its promise of providing Rs 2 lakh to each of the 1.56 crore women beneficiaries who received initial Rs 10,000 payments, warning that failure would expose the scheme as an "election gimmick."
- Social Security Pensions: Kishor claimed credit for the government's decision to increase monthly pensions from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100.
- Education and Safety: He highlighted the tragic death of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant in Patna, criticizing the government's handling of the case.
- Land Acquisition Concerns: Local farmers' fears about government acquisition of Betia Raj land were brought to attention.
Building a Sustainable Political Alternative
Kishor stressed that the JSP aims to create a "strong, honest, and accountable political alternative" in Bihar, moving beyond personality-driven politics. "Bihar has 13 crore people. Let there be many voices," he declared, emphasizing that the party's success shouldn't depend solely on his leadership.
The yatra follows Kishor's previous 2022 padyatra that eventually led to the formal conversion of Jan Suraaj from a social organization to a political party in October 2024. Despite the recent electoral setback, Kishor remains committed to his core agenda of prioritizing education and employment in Bihar's development narrative.
In a significant political development weeks before the yatra, Kishor met Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, reigniting speculation about potential political realignments despite their previous strained relationship. This meeting underscores Kishor's continued relevance in Bihar's complex political landscape as he seeks to rebuild his party through sustained grassroots engagement.
