PATNA: Renowned political strategist turned political activist, Prashant Kishor, took a direct dig at senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his ‘Jan Suraj Yatra’ in Muzaffarpur. In addition to his customary comments on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, RJD Chief Lalu Prasad, and the BJP, Kishor questioned Rahul Gandhi’s relevance in Bihar.
Kishor’s pointed remark was, “What does Bihar have to do with Rahul Gandhi? He can’t even name four districts in Bihar.” This statement underscores the growing skepticism regarding Rahul Gandhi’s involvement in Bihar’s political landscape.
He further questioned, “When was the last time you saw him in the state or heard him speak on any Bihar-related issues?” This marked a significant departure from Kishor’s usual focus during his ‘Jan Suraj Yatra,’ which began on October 2 last year.
Kishor asserted that the Congress had a detrimental impact on Bihar during its 40-year rule, resulting in the party holding only a 5 percent vote share in the state today. He claimed that the people of Bihar had wisely distanced themselves from Congress due to past mistakes committed by its leaders.
Rahul Gandhi’s last visit to Bihar was on June 23 when he attended a meeting of Opposition parties at the behest of Nitish Kumar. Prior to that, he had participated in the swearing-in ceremony of the Grand Alliance government led by Nitish Kumar in 2015.
Reacting to Prashant Kishor’s remarks, Congress MLC and spokesperson Prem Chandra Mishra likened his comments to a ‘misguided missile’ lacking substantial grounding in the state. Mishra accused Kishor of working for the BJP and using targeted criticism as a means to stay in the spotlight.
Throughout his ‘Jan Suraj Padyatra,’ which commenced on October 2 from Gandhi Bhitiharwa Ashram in West Champaran district, Prashant Kishor consistently targeted the 32-year rule of Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad, and the BJP.
