Prashant Kishor Steps Into Opposition Spotlight As Bihar’s Main Challenger To NDA

In his first public response after the NDA’s sweeping win in the Bihar Assembly elections, Prashant Kishor declared that defeat only comes to those who give up. Far from stepping back, the Jan Suraaj founder has positioned himself as the foremost Opposition voice at a time when leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav have remained absent from public view since the results came out.

Kishor announced that he will hold a 24-hour fast at the Gandhi Ashram in Bhitiharwa, West Champaran, on November 20 — the same day Nitish Kumar and his new cabinet will take oath at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan. His choice of venue carries symbolic weight because it is linked to Mahatma Gandhi’s historic 1917 Satyagraha.

Despite Jan Suraaj failing to win a single seat and securing only around 3.34% of the vote, PK acknowledged the poor performance but emphasised that the party made a significant impression, finishing third in 129 constituencies and second in one. He took full responsibility for the loss, congratulated the NDA, and vowed to hold the new government accountable for its promises.

Kishor challenged the incoming administration to deliver its major pledge of providing ₹2 lakh each to 1.5 crore women. He said he would leave politics — and even Bihar — if the government fulfilled this commitment. According to him, the NDA used local women’s groups and frontline workers to amplify the scheme during the campaign, and he warned that citizens would demand answers if the money did not come through. He also released a helpline number (9121691216) so women can approach Jan Suraaj for assistance in claiming the promised funds.

As Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav remain silent after the electoral setback — with internal tensions reportedly troubling the RJD — Kishor appears to be filling the leadership vacuum in the Opposition. While Gandhi called the election process “unfair” on social media, he has not met party workers or addressed supporters since November 14. Tejashwi, too, has avoided public appearances amid family disputes.

Kishor said the election outcome was a setback but not the end of the road, adding that the real phase of struggle begins now. He noted that the possibility of Jan Suraaj being either “on the top or at the bottom” was always clear to him, and he is prepared to redouble efforts after three years of groundwork.

PK will return to West Champaran — where Jan Suraaj began its journey in 2022 — to start his fast, signalling his intention to continue shaping the narrative on issues like unemployment, migration and dignity for Bihar’s people. With his assertive stance and immediate engagement with the public, he has become the most prominent Opposition figure in the state at present.