Patna : Prashant Kishor’s much-hyped political debut with the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) appears to have largely fallen short in the high-stakes Bihar Assembly elections. Positioning itself as a revolutionary third alternative to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Mahagathbandhan, the JSP was leading in only one seat.
Intensive grassroots campaign, including the popular Jan Suraaj Padyatra, the party has been unable to convert its momentum into substantial electoral gains. In its debut electoral fight, the JSP contested 238 seats and, so far, has managed to secure third place in several constituencies. Most exit polls had forecasted a near-total rout for the party.
Axis My India projected around 4 per cent of the vote share but no seats, while Matrize estimated 0–2 seats and Dainik Bhaskar predicted 0-3. Other agencies, including Chanakya Strategies, P-Marq, JVC, People’s Insight, and People’s Pulse, similarly did not expect JSP to cross the single-digit mark.
However, analysts note that JSP could emerge as a decisive factor in closely contested seats, potentially diverting significant anti-incumbency votes, particularly among young voters. Many observers also credit the party with influencing the political discourse. Prashant Kishor’s relentless focus on core issues, unemployment, migration, education, and healthcare, helped shape much of the poll narrative, compelling major alliances to address these concerns more directly in their campaigns.
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