Political strategist and Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor announced that he will not contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, saying his party has decided he should focus on organisational
work.
“No, I won’t contest. Party has decided… I will continue to do the work I have been doing in the party. I will continue with the organisational work for the larger interest of the party,” the poll strategist-turned-politician told news agency PTI.
VIDEO | EXCLUSIVE: “No, I won’t contest. Party has decided… I will continue to do the work I have been doing in the party. I will continue with the organisational work for the larger interest of the party,” Jan Suraaj (@PrashantKishor) founder Prashant Kishor said responding to… pic.twitter.com/aYpbz9mpth
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 15, 2025
Earlier, Kishor had hinted that he would contest the polls either from his birthplace Kargahar or from Raghopur. The speculation that Kishor won’t fight the election was clear after the party announced Chanchal Singh as its candidate for the Raghopur Assembly seat on Tuesday. In its first list, Jan Suraaj announced popular Bhojpuri singer Ritesh Pandey as its candidate from Kargahar.
Raghopur, a constituency long regarded as the stronghold of the Yadav family, is currently represented by RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav. During his visit to the area, Kishor had issued a sharp warning to the RJD, saying that Tejashwi could face an “Amethi-like defeat” if he contests from Raghopur, a reference to Rahul Gandhi’s 2019 loss in his family bastion.
For the 243-member assembly polls, the party has so far declared candidates for 116 seats. The party – which is contesting its maiden election and is seen as an untested entity — has said it will field candidates from all 243 seats of Bihar.
The big names included mathematician K C Sinha from Kumhrar (Patna), Bhojpuri singer Ritesh Ranjan Pandey from Kargahar, and Dr Jagriti Thakur, granddaughter of former chief minister and socialist icon Karpoori Thakur, from Morwa (Samastipur).
Kishor had said his candidates were chosen on basis of what they had done for the people. “Now, if you don’t vote for such people, then it is not a burden on Prashant Kishor. This is a burden on the shoulders of the people of Bihar,” he had said.
BJP Takes Jibe
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took a dig at Kishor’s decision to not to contest the polls, saying that the leader refused to fight the polls as he knows he will lose deposits if he does so.
“Prashant Kishore knows that His party has negligible electoral impact on ground in Bihar! Prashant Kishore refuses to contest as a candidate, because he knows he will lose deposits if he does so! Jan Suraaj, RJD, Congress all know the ground in Bihar: People of Bihar are with NDA,” BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari said in a post on X.
Prashant Kishore knows that His party has negligible electoral impact on ground in Bihar!
Prashant Kishore refuses to contest as a candidate, because he knows he will lose deposits if he does so!
Jan Suraaj, RJD, Congress all know the ground in Bihar:
People of Bihar are with…
— Pradeep Bhandari(प्रदीप भंडारी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) October 15, 2025
Bihar Assembly Elections 2025
The election for the 243 Assembly seats in Bihar will be held in two phases —November 6 and November 11, with counting scheduled for November 14.
Currently, the NDA holds 131 seats- comprising BJP (80), JD(U) (45), Hindustan Awami Morcha (4), and two Independents, while the opposition Mahagathbandhan has 111 seats- RJD (77), Congress (19), CPI(ML) (11), CPI(M) (2), and CPI (2).
