Patna, August 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Tuesday said the outcome of the Bankipur by-election should be seen more as a rejection of the BJP than only as a victory for his party, claiming that voters had sent a message to the BJP leadership over governance and leadership issues in Bihar.
Speaking to IANS after the by-election result, Kishor said the BJP’s defeat reflected public dissatisfaction and urged the party leadership to respect the mandate given by voters.
“One should focus more on the BJP’s defeat than on the victory in this election. The people of Bihar, especially the voters of Bankipur, have sent a message to the BJP and its leadership,” he said.
Kishor said Bihar needed capable leadership capable of addressing key challenges such as education, employment and migration.
He alleged that the BJP had traditionally sought electoral support by raising concerns over “Jungle Raj”, but claimed voters would not accept the return of leaders associated with that period merely after a change in political appearance.
“The people of Bihar want progress,” he said, adding that BJP supporters had also voted against the party due to these concerns.
The Jan Suraaj leader further alleged that the BJP had developed overconfidence about its electoral prospects and believed that voters would continue supporting it irrespective of leadership choices.
Kishor said political parties should not assume that electoral victories were permanent and claimed that public support depends on performance and governance.
On comparisons with former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Kishor rejected the comparison and said every state had its own political leaders.
“Every new leader who wins an election does not automatically become Kejriwal,” he said, adding that comparisons could also be made with other regional leaders such as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Kishor clarified that he had no personal differences with Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary but said the state required effective leadership and governance.
He also criticised BJP MP Manoj Tiwari over his role during the election campaign, alleging that bringing a distressed family to meet the Chief Minister and creating an impression of compromise for electoral purposes was inappropriate.
Kishor challenged the BJP MP to ensure justice for the family concerned and said political actions involving sensitive issues should not be repeated without accountability.
Reacting to JD(U) MLA Anant Kumar Singh’s remark that the Bankipur result could have been different if former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had remained in power, Kishor said it was only an individual assessment and that speculation about alternate scenarios had little relevance.
On the political future of Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, Kishor said the people of Bihar would decide his future based on his performance.
He also congratulated BJP National President Nitin Nabin, describing his elevation as a matter of pride for Bihar, while adding that his success in the role would further enhance that pride.
Asked about his future political plans, Kishor said he would continue the work he had been pursuing for the past three years.
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