In the wake of Income Tax Department raids on the premises of RJD MP Ahmad Ashfaque Karim, election strategist Prashant Kishor boldly challenged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to publicly state that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is not implicated in corruption.
Jan Suraaj convenor, Mr. Kishor, accused Nitish Kumar of failing to condemn the actions taken against RJD leader Lalu Prasad and his family. He insisted that Kumar should unequivocally affirm the innocence of RJD members regarding corruption allegations, given their political alliance.
Mr. Kishor went on to question Nitish Kumar’s motivations, alleging that Kumar’s involvement in the Grand Alliance was primarily to secure his own position as Chief Minister until November 2025, preempting a potential challenge from the BJP. Furthermore, Kishor claimed that Kumar aimed to leave a future government worse off than his own, thereby earning post-power accolades.
Additionally, Kishor highlighted the role of Ahmad Ashfaque Karim, the trustee and founder chancellor of Al Karim University in Bihar, in connection with previous investigations related to alleged land-for-job scams involving Lalu Prasad and his family.
Mr. Kishor emphasized that his allegiance lies with the people of Bihar, rather than any political coalition. He criticized both the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for their decades-long governance, which, he argued, had failed to address fundamental issues such as unemployment and migration in the state. Kishor expressed his intention to engage with the public directly to empower them and encourage more informed voting decisions, emphasizing the need for the people of Bihar to take charge of improving their own circumstances.
In his closing remarks, Prashant Kishor conveyed his dedication to awakening the people of Bihar and facilitating a positive transformation in the state’s fortunes, irrespective of political alliances.