Prashant Kishor launches Jan Suraaj Party in Bihar
What's the story
Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor launched his political party, the Jan Suraaj Party, in Patna on Wednesday.
The event was attended by notable figures such as former Union Minister Devendra Prasad Yadav, diplomat-turned-politician Pavan Varma, and ex-MP Monazir Hassan.
During his speech, Kishor urged attendees to chant "Jai Bihar" loudly enough for it to resonate across states where Biharis have faced abuse and violence.
Rallying cry
Kishor's call for Bihar's voice to reach national capital
"Your voice must reach Delhi. It must reach Bengal, where students from Bihar were beaten. It must reach Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Bombay wherever Bihari children were abused and beaten," Kishor said.
His comments came in the wake of recent incidents involving the harassment of two youths from Bihar who had traveled to Siliguri in West Bengal for an examination.
Party evolution
Jan Suraaj Party's origins and future plans
The JSP evolved from a campaign initiated by Kishor, during which he interacted with thousands of Biharis to understand their issues.
The party plans to contest all seats in Bihar in the upcoming assembly election under the leadership of Manoj Bharti, a retired Indian Foreign Service officer.
"An important aim of this is to end the political helplessness under which...people voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party out of fear for Lalu Prasad...due to lack of any alternative," Kishor said earlier.
Political critique
Kishor's criticism of BJP and Nitish Kumar
Kishor has been critical of the BJP for supporting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whom he believes is unfit to govern the state.
He drew parallels between the BJP's backing of Kumar and Congress's support for Lalu Prasad Yadav, which led to their downfall in Bihar.
"The Congress helped Lalu Prasad run a 'jungle raj' for 15 years. The people of Bihar completely uprooted the Congress. The BJP will suffer the same fate," he said.
Development goals
Kishor's vision for Bihar's education and economy
Kishor underscored the necessity for a world-class education system in Bihar, estimating a requirement of ₹5 lakh crore over the next decade to realize this objective.
He also criticized the state's liquor ban, arguing that it results in an annual loss of ₹20,000 crore which could be redirected toward enhancing education, infrastructure and other essential services.
"Every year, Bihar is facing a loss of ₹20,000 crore due to the liquor ban," he added.