BJP Leader Anurag Thakur Criticises Prashant Kishor’s Decision Not to Contest

BJP leader and former Union Minister Anurag Thakur took a sharp dig at Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor on Thursday, labelling him a "general who fled before the battle" following Kishor's announcement that he will not contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Thakur, arriving in Patna to spearhead BJP's campaign for the November polls, quipped to NDTV: "The general has fled. What will happen to the army?" The barb underscores escalating rhetoric in Bihar's high-stakes electoral landscape, where Kishor—once a behind-the-scenes architect of victories for NDA and opposition alike—has launched Jan Suraaj as a direct challenger to entrenched players. With nominations for the first phase closing Friday, Thakur's visit aims to rally BJP workers amid the NDA's finalised seat-sharing, contesting 101 of 243 seats alongside JD(U)'s equal share.

Kishor, 47, dispelled weeks of speculation in a Wednesday interview, confirming he would prioritise organisational duties over candidacy to build Jan Suraaj's grassroots machinery. "Jan Suraaj decided I should concentrate on organisational work and not contest," he stated, setting an audacious benchmark: "Anything less than 150 seats would be a defeat." The party, founded in 2024 after Kishor's padyatra across Bihar, has fielded candidates on all 243 seats, targeting anti-incumbency against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U).

Kishor forecasted a rout for the NDA, predicting JD(U) would win fewer than 25 seats and Kumar would not reclaim the chief minister's post. His pivot from strategist—credited with BJP's 2014 triumph and TMC's 2021 Bengal win—to full-time politician has polarised observers, with Jan Suraaj claiming 10-15% vote share in internal surveys, though sceptics cite its untested organisational depth.

The BJP has seized on Kishor's retreat as evidence of faltering momentum. Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla earlier remarked that the "businessman and former election campaigner" in Kishor recognised an unfavourable ground reality: "If he loses this election, then his business enterprise will have no takers in the future." Thakur echoed this scepticism during his Patna stop while addressing another query on the absence of Muslim candidates in BJP's list. "We give tickets based on winnability... We focus on Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. We do not provide facilities based on religion and caste," he asserted, defending the merit-based selection amid criticism from opposition quarters alleging minority alienation.

The NDA's strategy emphasises development narratives, contrasting with Mahagathbandhan's caste census push, as Bihar's electorate—split along Yadav-Muslim (RJD), EBC (JD(U)), and upper-caste (BJP) lines—gears up for the triphasic polls on November 6, 11, and 20, with results on November 23.

Also Read: Prashant Kishor Won’t Contest Bihar Polls, Raghopur Seat Goes to Local Candidate

Bihar's 2025 elections, the first since the 2022 caste-based survey revealed OBCs and EBCs at 63% of the population, promise a volatile mix of alliances and insurgencies. Jan Suraaj's independent run disrupts the opposition bloc, potentially fragmenting anti-NDA votes in key belts like Magadh and Mithilanchal. Thakur's sortie, including rallies in BJP strongholds, signals confidence in retaining power despite economic headwinds like inflation and unemployment, which Kishor has weaponised.

As the NDA eyes a third term under Kumar, Kishor's organisational gamble—eschewing the spotlight for backend fortification—could either forge a new force or fizzle as a one-man show, with the electorate's verdict set to redefine Bihar's fractured politics.

Also Read: Second Jan Suraaj Candidate List Out: Will Prashant Kishor Take on Raghopur?