Prashant Kishor, an election strategist turned politician, said on Wednesday that he would not work for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, even if Nitish vacates the CM’s chair for him. Prashant Kishor stated that he made a promise to the people that he cannot change. He has also revealed that during their last meeting, after Nitish Kumar left the NDA alliance in Bihar and became the chief minister of the Mahagathbandhan in the state, Nitish Kumar asked him to join the JD (U).
“I categorically told the CM that I will not work with him even if he (Nitish Kumar) makes me his political heir or …vacates the chair of CM for me. I said no….I have made a promise to the people…it can’t be changed,” Prashant Kishor said as he addressed a gathering at Jamunia village in the West Champaran district as part of his ongoing 3,500-km Jan Suraah yatra.
Prashant Kishor made frequent references to Nitish Kumar in his addresses during the yatra. “You all must have learnt through media reports that Nitish Kumar had called me to his residence about 10-15 days back. He asked me to lead his party. I said it is not possible,” Prashant Kishor said on Tuesday.
“After losing the 2014 (Lok Sabha) polls, he met me in Delhi, begging for help. I assisted him in winning the 2015 assembly polls as the chief ministerial candidate of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’. Today, he has the temerity to offer ‘gyan’ (wisdom) to me,” he said.
Prashant Kishor joined the JD(U) in 2018 and rose to the position of national vice-president before being expelled due to a disagreement with Nitish Kumar over the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Nitish Kumar recently accused Prashant Kishor of working for the BJP, while the JD(U) questioned Prashant Kishor’s funding for his yatra. Prashant Kishor addressed these concerns, stating that those interested in his funding should be aware that, unlike them, he never engaged in ‘dalaali.’
“Politicians have for long been seeking my advice on how to win elections. Media has been full of praise for my track record as a political strategist. But never before have I asked anybody to lend me money,” he said. “But today I am seeking donations. This is the fee that I am charging towards building this movement which entails expenses like the tent we have put up here,” Prashant Kishor said.