Kishor said the party faced a major setback, but he promised to rebuild it.
Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has launched a strong challenge to the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government after his Jan Suraaj Party failed to win even one seat in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Kishor spoke publicly for the first time since the defeat and accepted full responsibility for the party’s poor performance.
Kishor said the Jan Suraaj Party could not bring a change in power in Bihar, despite its year-long campaign. He admitted that the people of Bihar did not choose his party this time, but added that he would continue to fight.
Kishor said the party faced a major setback, but he promised to rebuild it.
"We received a setback, but we will rectify the mistakes, build ourselves, and come back stronger... There is no going back for us," he said.
Kishor issued a fresh challenge to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying he would quit politics if the government truly delivered ₹2 lakh each to 1.5 crore women in Bihar.
"People are talking a lot about my remark on JD(U) winning 25 seats — I still stand by it. If Nitish Kumar transfers the ₹2 lakh he promised to 1.5 crore women and proves he didn’t win by buying votes, I will definitely quit politics without any ifs and buts," Kishor said.
This challenge came after his earlier statement before the elections, where he said he would retire from politics if JD(U) won more than 25 seats.
Kishor repeated his allegation that the JD(U) victory was inflated by buying votes.
"Between Nitish Kumar and his victory, there is only one thing -- buying of 60,000 votes in each assembly constituency at ₹10,000. It should be made clear whether it was a vote purchase or part of a self-employment programme," he said.
The final results surprised many political analysts. Nitish Kumar's JD(U) won 85 of the 101 seats it contested. The BJP performed even better, winning 89 seats. Together, the NDA scored a decisive victory.
In contrast, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party failed to win any of the 243 seats it contested.
The elections took place in two phases, and the results were declared on November 14. After this landslide victory, the NDA is preparing to form the government again on November 20.
