Prashant Kishor Vows to Leave Bihar if Nitish Delivers on Rs 2 Lakh Promise

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor issued a fresh challenge to the incumbent Nitish Kumar administration on Tuesday, staking his entire career on the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) election pledges. Kishor declared that if the government fulfills its promise to transfer Rs 2 lakh to 1.5 crore women under its self-employment initiatives, he would not only quit politics but leave Bihar entirely.

Speaking at a press conference, the strategist-turned-politician emphasized that the sheer financial magnitude of the commitment was unprecedented. “If the Nitish government actually implements this scheme and provides Rs 2 lakh to 1.5 crore women as promised, forget politics, I will leave Bihar itself,” Kishor stated.

Kishor also addressed speculation regarding his future after the Janata Dal (United) surpassed the 25-seat threshold a benchmark he had previously cited as a trigger for his retirement. While acknowledging his earlier comments, he dismissed the idea of stepping away from public advocacy.

“I did say I would retire from politics if JD(U) crossed 25 seats. But what official post do I hold that I should resign from?” Kishor asked. “I never said I would stop speaking for the people. Those assuming I will abandon Bihar are mistaken.”

Addressing the Defeat Kishor accepted full responsibility for the Jan Suraaj Party’s difficult debut; the party failed to secure a single seat in its maiden election. Describing the result as a “jolt,” he insisted the setback was temporary.

“Our victory will certainly come. We will not leave Bihar. The hard work we put in for three years will now be doubled,” he said. He noted that the loss highlighted a need for deeper voter engagement but maintained that his party had not resorted to “divisive politics or buying votes.”

Allegations of Financial Influence Kishor attributed the NDA’s sweeping mandate to a combination of massive financial promises and targeted disbursements. He alleged that the coalition pledged nearly Rs 40,000 crore of public funds during the election to sway the electorate.

Targeting the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, Kishor claimed the victory was bridged by “buying 60,000 votes in each assembly constituency at Rs 10,000.” He challenged the government to clarify whether these transfers were genuine welfare measures or electoral transactions. While he clarified that he does not believe voters intentionally “sell” their votes, he argued that the timing and structure of the scheme were designed to manipulate public sentiment.

On the broader issue of electoral integrity, Kishor reiterated his concerns regarding “vote chori” (vote theft) as a national issue, urging opposition parties to consider approaching the Supreme Court.

The Scheme in Focus The controversy centers on the Bihar government’s Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, designed to boost female entrepreneurship. The scheme supports one woman per family with an initial tranche of Rs 10,000 to start a venture. The state has promised further assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh, pending an assessment of the enterprise’s viability. The government maintains this is a crucial step for local economic empowerment.

Helpline and Future Outlook In a move to hold the government accountable, Kishor released his office helpline 91216 91216 for beneficiaries. He urged women to contact him if the administration fails to release the promised additional funds within six months.

“If women do not get the additional Rs 2 lakh… I will go with them to government offices, block offices, and even to Nitish Kumar if needed, to raise their voice,” he promised.

Despite the NDA’s dominant performance with the BJP winning 89 seats, JD(U) 85, LJP(RV) 19, HAM five, and RLM four Kishor maintained that the verdict was not a rejection of his movement. “This is only a temporary setback; the future will be ours,” he concluded.