Hype to hopeless: Dismal early trends for Prashant Kishore and Jan Suraaj, what went wrong?
The new entrant to the Bihar political scene had many expectations on him. Riding on a wave of fresh start and innovative promises, many thought that Prashant Kishor was sure to make a big impact on this year's Bihar Assembly Elections. Early trends do not agree.
New Delhi: Former political strategist Prashant Kishor or PK’s entry into active politics with his party Jan Suraaj caught many unawares. While with his stellar strategist career and time in the UN had many having high expectations from the new entrant in this year’s Bihar Assembly Elections, early trends pit him poorly. His party Jan Suraaj is getting only one seat till now according to the trends while the NDA is leading with 169 seats and the principal opposition Mahagthbandhan trailing them with 70.
Going against high expectations
Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party contested its maiden elections with more than 200 candidates in the fray in this year’s Bihar Assembly Elections. The poor non-existent early trends mirror the exit polls, which had predicted a similar poor performance from the Jan Suraaj Party, estimating that it would win up to only five seats.
Kishor began his campaign on a high note, with the "Bihar Badlao Yatra” in which he promised systemic change to the people of the state. The party promised to field ‘clean’ candidates, often constituting former bureaucrats and academics.
The party came in offering many ambitious promises as well. Be it changing the whole of the education system in Bihar top to bottom or creating local jobs and reversing migration in the state, Kishor’s rhetoric was high-strung but it seems to not have reached the voter on ground.
Despite the big promises, as both the early trends and exit polls show, Bihar’s politics remains deeply polarized around the two major coalitions, the NDA and Mahagathbandhan. For a third group to come in, especially a new one, is difficult. Familiarity, at least in such a big contest, triumphs over innovation as risk is avoided by voters in such a high-stakes election.
A new political party to contest in such a big state as Bihar is also a big challenge, as its political structure and cadre is significantly weaker than the established giant. For voters, while Prashant Kishor’s enigmatic presence during the campaign might have been stellar and alluring, when it comes to casting their votes, it seems that there is much more than meets the eye.