Political parties in Bihar have reacted with caution on political strategist Prashant Kishor’s announcement of beginning his political journey from Bihar. The Janata Dal, (U) said there was no space for any regional or national outfit in a State where the Nitish Kumar government was functioning well.
Welcoming the move, Chirag Paswan stated that there was an urgent need in Bihar for leaders who are willing to work rising above the caste lines. Speaking to The Hindu, he said Bihar was in dire need of leaders who were committed to working for its development.
“Even after so many years, where the other States have progressed, Bihar is still fighting for the basic necessities. We are still struggling for roads, water connection, education, employment and medical facilities. Ultimately, it is for the State people to take the call. We need leaders who will work beyond the caste lines and compulsions of alliance politics,” he observed.
JD(U) secretary general K.C. Tyagi told The Hindu, “Any individual or group of people can form any political outfit. But as far as Bihar is concerned, the government of Nitish Kumar is going very well on all the developmental indices. There is no scope for a regional or a national outfit to the Nitish model of governance in the State.”
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is watching the development from a distance like an amused spectator. “What exactly is Mr. Kishor’s objective. We so far do not know. In 2015, when Nitish Kumar was going to take oath as Chief Minister, Mr. Kishor accompanied him. Nitish ji had gone ahead and declared him as the future of Bihar and then they publicly fell out. Anyway, political parties cannot be formed overnight. You can’t simply press a button to erect an institution. We shall wait and see,” party leader Shivanand Tiwari said.
Prashant Kishor meets activists
Meanwhile, Mr. Kishor has started building the ground to construct his political outfit. On Monday, he met noted Right To Information (RTI) activist Shiv Prakash Rai and social activist Guddu Baba at Patna’s Sheikhpura House to discuss Bihar’s political situation.
Sources close to Mr. Kishor told The Hindu that he would meet around 100 social activists, intellectuals and members of civil society from across the State in the next few days to explore possibilities of his imminent plunge into politics. Mr Kishor is likely to meet social activist Mukesh Hisaria, Pravez Aziz, Irfan Alam and others. He is expected to visit Bihar districts from June onwards.
