Prashant Kishor launches Jan Suraaj Party, unveils agenda to transform Bihar

Prashant Kishor’s long-pending entry into electoral politics came on October 2 with the formal launch of his Jan Suraaj campaign group as a political party named ‘Jan Suraaj Party’.

“Jan Suraaj campaign is going on for 2-3 years. People are asking when we will be forming the party. We all must thank God, today, the Election Commission has officially accepted Jan Suraaj as Jan Suraaj Party,” Kishor said at an event held at Veterinary College Ground in Patna.

During his speech, Kishor emphasised the need for a world-class education system in Bihar, saying that Rs 5 lakh crore would be required over the next decade to achieve this goal.

The party will be headed by Manoj Bharti, a retired officer of the Indian Foreign Service.

Who is Manoj Bharti

Bharti, who hails from Madhubani, pursued his education at Netarhat in Jharkhand before enrolling at IIT Kanpur. He later completed his M Tech degree from IIT Delhi. Bharti has had a distinguished career in the foreign service, representing India as an ambassador to several countries. During his diplomatic tenure, he served as India’s ambassador to Ukraine, Belarus, Timor-Leste, and Indonesia.

The launch was attended by several prominent figures, including former Union minister Devendra Prasad Yadav, diplomat-turned-politician Pavan Varma, and ex-MP Monazir Hassan.

Liquor Ban

Kishor has said if elected, the party would end prohibition of liquor in the state and use the earnings to improve the education sector.

Criticising the state’s liquor ban Kishor claimed that it results in an annual loss of Rs 20,000 crore, which could be utilised for improving education, infrastructure, and other essential services.

“If Bihar has to have a world-class education system, Rs 5 lakh crore is needed in the next 10 years. When the liquor ban will be removed, that money won’t go into the budget and will not be used for the security of leaders, nor it will be used for roads, water and electricity. That will be used only for building a new education system in Bihar. Every year, Bihar is facing a loss of Rs 20,000 crore due to the liquor ban,” he added.

Funds for Employment

Kishor explained the blueprint for generating funds for employment. “Last year, (2023-24), banks in Bihar got deposits of Rs 4.61 lakh crore out of which they gave only Rs 1.61 lakh crore as loan. It is a very poor credit-to-deposit ratio. Even if the ratio in Bihar is raised to 70%, we will get Rs 2.5 lakh crore as loan to do business,” he said Kishor, alleging that banks in Bihar were investing in Gujarat and other states. “It is precisely the reason our people have been working as labourers in other states,” he added.

On the other priority areas for the new party, Kishor said, “To ensure that our elders live with dignity, the government will give Rs 2,000 monthly pension to each. This will cost Rs 6,000 crore annually and will be set apart from the annual Budget … We will also ensure loans to women entrepreneurs at 4% annual interest. The government will take the load of another 6% interest.”

The Jan Suraaj founder targeted the Nitish Kumar government over a land survey that has been on hold for three months. “We need land reforms and new ways of earning from cash crops. Land survey will only make siblings and relatives fight one another. It is beset with corruption,” said Kishor.

Kishor said the party’s candidates for the Bihar Assembly polls next year would be announced next March. “We will emulate the method followed in the USA, where people, not a team of senior leaders, choose the party’s nominee six months before the elections. Nominated candidates go to respective constituencies with the party’s policies and plans.”

How Jan Suraaj is different?

What sets Jan Suraaj apart when compared to mainstream political parties is that it talks of proportional representation in its organisational set-up. “We will go by the latest caste survey. As EBCs comprise 36% of the population, talented and deserving people from this segment will get as much representation. ‘Jiski jitni aabadi, uski utni hissedari (representation in proportion to population)’ is our tagline. Some people will say that I am also discussing caste. No, I am talking about taking along all and drawing the best from all social groups in the true spirit of equality,” said Kishor.

On the party’s ideology, Kishor said among its followers are socialists, Communists, Muslims, and former RSS workers. “So what is our ideology? It is human first, which Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar talked about.”