The electoral debut of the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), founded by election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, resulted in a significant setback, with the party failing to secure a single seat in the 2025 Bihar assembly election despite fielding candidates in nearly all 243 constituencies.

However, the party’s leadership has affirmed that the “poll strategist” will remain actively engaged in Bihar politics, committed to the party’s long-term goal of development and change in the state.

Prashant Kishor’s Continued Commitment to Bihar

Jan Suraaj Party president, Uday Singh, provided a clear update on Prashant Kishor’s future involvement, dismissing any speculation that the poor result would lead to his withdrawal.

“Certainly, he (Prashant Kishor) will continue to be there (in Bihar),” Uday Singh told news agency ANI. He emphasized the party’s independent mission, stating, “We didn’t enter politics at the behest of JD(U); we won’t leave at their behest either. We can think of leaving only when we feel that a change has set in in Bihar.”

Singh insisted that the Jan Suraaj Party is “not disheartened” by the defeat. “We know what is to be done. We will keep working and fulfil the ‘Bihar badlav’ (promise of change) that we had spoken about,” he added, signaling the party’s intent to continue its grassroots efforts and remain a political force in the state.

The Landslide Mandate and Economic Concerns

The JSP’s electoral debut came against the backdrop of a massive victory for the incumbent Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which secured a landslide mandate by winning 202 out of 243 seats. This marked the second time the NDA crossed the 200-seat mark in Bihar.

The victory was overwhelmingly driven by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which emerged as the single-largest party with 89 seats, closely followed by the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) with 85 seats. Other NDA partners—LJPRV (19), HAMS (5), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (4)—also contributed strongly to the coalition’s success.

The rival Mahagathbandhan suffered significant losses, with the RJD winning only 25 seats, CPI(ML)(L) 2, IIP 1, and CPI(M) 1.

Uday Singh attributed the NDA’s sweeping victory, at least in part, to the incumbent government’s “cash distribution” for women, referring to specific welfare schemes that resonated strongly with a key demographic. Singh, however, expressed deep concern over the long-term economic impact of this policy, warning that the “cash distribution” would place significant pressure on Bihar’s economy and its debt cycle.

The Jan Suraaj Party, officially launched in Patna on October 2, 2024, after being active as a political group since 2022, faced the harsh reality that its extensive campaigning and high-profile launch were unable to penetrate the core support bases of the major alliances, resulting in a zero-seat tally on its first attempt.