Prashant Kishor Calls Bankipur Bypoll ‘Referendum on Samrat Choudhary’, Targets BJP Over Bihar Leadership

Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor has raised the political stakes ahead of the Bankipur Assembly bypoll, describing the election as much more than a contest for a single Assembly seat. He claimed the by-election would reflect public opinion on the BJP's leadership in Bihar, particularly after Samrat Choudhary took over as Chief Minister.

In an interview with Bihar Tak, Kishor said voters now have their first opportunity to express whether they support the BJP's leadership transition. According to him, the BJP came to power by seeking votes in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, but later placed Samrat Choudhary at the helm of the state government. He appealed to voters dissatisfied with that decision to register their opinion through the bypoll.

Kishor explained that he had deliberately stayed away from contesting the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections because he wanted to devote his time to strengthening Jan Suraaj across the state and campaigning for its candidates. Although the party secured around 18 lakh votes, he said the result had not discouraged the organisation from continuing its political movement in Bihar.

Explaining his decision to enter the Bankipur by-election, Kishor said he chose one of Bihar's most politically aware constituencies instead of looking for an easier contest. He said educated voters in Bankipur have an opportunity to send a clear political message if they believe the state needs a different direction.

The Jan Suraaj leader also launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing it of political arrogance. He alleged that some BJP leaders had publicly suggested the party could win the seat regardless of its candidate because of its traditional support base. According to Kishor, such statements reflected overconfidence and underestimated the wisdom of voters.

He further argued that the ruling NDA believes it can continue winning elections through caste equations, religious polarisation, Prime Minister Modi's popularity and fear of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), instead of focusing on governance. The Bankipur bypoll, he said, offers voters a chance to challenge that political narrative.

Responding to questions regarding the details in his election affidavit, Kishor defended listing his profession as a political consultant, saying it was consistent with his income tax records. He also clarified that the valuation of Vedas Venture, which accounts for a significant portion of his declared assets, was based on the company's net worth after taxes. He added that the company belongs to his family members and had contributed ₹90 crore to Jan Suraaj.

Kishor rejected suggestions that he had continued political consultancy work in recent years, maintaining that he has spent the last four years in Bihar building Jan Suraaj's organisational network. He also defended the educational qualification mentioned in his affidavit, saying the programme he completed is recognised as equivalent to a master's degree and was conducted in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University.

He ruled out any possibility of joining either the NDA or the INDIA alliance, asserting that Jan Suraaj would continue to pursue an independent political path focused solely on Bihar's interests.

The Jan Suraaj chief also criticised the Bihar government over governance issues, alleging delays in pension payments, pending dues under the Student Credit Card Scheme, unpaid contractor bills and financial stress within government departments. He further claimed that the cancellation of ration cards, higher property registration charges and other policy decisions had increased the burden on ordinary citizens.

Reiterating his confidence ahead of the vote, Kishor said the outcome of the Bankipur bypoll would indicate whether people support the BJP's present leadership in Bihar. He added that regardless of the election result, Jan Suraaj would continue expanding its organisation across the state with an eye on future political battles.

Voting for the Bankipur Assembly by-election is scheduled for July 30, while the counting of votes will take place on August 3.