Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj's role in shaping Bihar's verdict despite winning no seats
Patna: The Bihar Assembly elections have delivered a thumping mandate for the National Democratic Alliance, echoing the scale of its 2010 triumph but unfolding in a sharply altered political environment. The ruling coalition secured 202 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan was left with only 35, a result that stunned its leadership and triggered an immediate review of vote patterns across the State. A major feature of this election was the debut of the Jan Suraaj Party, launched by strategist turned politician Prashant Kishor. Although it failed to win any seats, the party secured 3.4 per cent of the State’s vote share, positioning itself as a potential disruptor. Jan Suraaj contested 238 seats, finishing second in one, third in 129 and fourth or fifth in nearly 100 others. Its presence proved consequential in 33 constituencies where its votes exceeded the margin of victory and influenced outcomes for both alliances almost evenly. Jan Suraaj made the contest difficult? During the...
