We shall have no alliance with any party: Prashant Kishor
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Monday, August 3, ruled out the possibility of joining any political alliance, while claiming that his victory in the Bankipur assembly bypoll was made possible "with the backing of" disgruntled supporters of parties such as the BJP, Congress and the RJD.
Kishor spoke to reporters after defeating the BJP's Neeraj Kumar by over 19,000 votes in Bankipur, a seat the BJP had won since 1995.
"We shall have no alliance. Our alliance shall be with the people of Bihar. You should see that the people of Bankipur have voted for us, giving up on established parties," Kishor said when asked about the possibility of a rethink on his earlier stance of going it alone in elections.
With the victory, the Jan Suraaj Party will make its maiden appearance in the Bihar assembly.
"Besides thanking the common citizens, I would like to thank those who helped Jan Suraaj despite not being in the party. Such people were in all parties, BJP, RJD, as well as the Congress," said Kishor, whose win may help resurrect his fledgling outfit, which had drawn a blank in last year's assembly election.
The bypoll, which Kishor has been calling a "referendum" on the BJP-led government in Bihar, followed the resignation of five-term MLA Nitin Nabin, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha after becoming the party's national president.
Kishor had earlier said the BJP's loss was "a wake-up call" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who he said must consider replacing Samrat Choudhary, a man with criminal antecedents, with a decent person as chief minister.
Choudhary, who joined the BJP less than a decade ago, is the first BJP leader to head a government in Bihar. Kishor said that if the party wanted an OBC chief minister, "let it have someone who has a good education and a clean record."
Despite Kishor's reluctance to join the opposition coalition, observers believe he could be wooed by the INDIA bloc, which they say ought to build on momentum generated by the Gen Z protests.
Veteran socialist leader Shivanand Tiwary told PTI that Kishor's energy and organizational abilities "have been there for all to see" and that the INDIA bloc must approach him, adding that the Bankipur victory must be viewed in a larger perspective.
Tiwary, who was among the foremost participants in the "Bihar movement" launched by the late Jayaprakash Narayan, said the recent protests at Jantar Mantar, across Bihar and in other parts of the country were far more spectacular than those of 1974, and that today's student activists are showing superior acumen compared to his generation.
Tiwary, who has been associated with parties including the RJD and JD(U), said opposition parties should set aside ideological misgivings and reach out to Kishor, adding that the Congress, RJD and the Left must build on the current momentum.
A senior BJP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the debacle "could not have come at a worse time," noting that the Gen Z protests had already highlighted the party's weakening support among youth, especially upper castes who have been its core base. The leader said this group had been unhappy over the controversial UGC regulations and had begun to feel taken for granted.
The University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, were notified earlier this year to eliminate caste-based discrimination and ensure equal opportunities across Indian colleges and universities.
The guidelines were opposed by general category groups, who claimed they offered no protection against false cases lodged by students from SC, ST and OBC groups. The Supreme Court has granted an interim stay against the proposed rules.
(With inputs from PTI)
