Published on: Nov 09, 2025

As Bihar gears up for the second phase of its assembly elections on November 11, prominent political strategist and Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor has openly questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ability to sway the state’s young voters, often referred to as Gen Z. In a detailed interview, Kishor criticised the Congress MP’s understanding of Bihar’s political dynamics, highlighting a perceived disconnect between Gandhi’s national profile and the local realities of the state.

Kishor asserted that the Congress, under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, is largely inconsequential in Bihar politics. “Congress has no presence here except in Seemanchal,” he said, referring to the northeastern region of Bihar with a significant Muslim population. According to Kishor, even in Seemanchal, Muslims are “more tilted towards Congress than RJD,” underscoring that the party’s influence is geographically limited and does not extend to the broader electorate.

Focusing on the youth demographic, Kishor challenged the idea that Rahul Gandhi has the ability to mobilise Gen Z voters. He argued that the youth of Bihar are not a monolithic group that will respond uniformly to Gandhi’s appeals or media-driven narratives. “Gen Z is not a homogeneous group in Bihar who acts on someone’s call or on the basis of their assessment,” Kishor said. He pointed out that Gandhi’s visits to the state are fleeting, typically involving only a few media interactions or “show bites” before leaving, which diminishes the impact of his outreach. “How much knowledge does Rahul Gandhi have here? Rahul Gandhi comes here, roams around, does a couple of show bites, and then he is gone,” Kishor remarked, suggesting that such brief appearances are insufficient to connect with Bihar’s young voters.

Kishor also downplayed the likelihood of youth-led political upheavals similar to recent movements in other regions. Citing the example of Nepal, where mass protests led to the ouster of Prime Minister KP Oli, he said Bihar’s youth may be politically aware but are grounded in local realities and day-to-day survival challenges. “Unlike Bangalore, Bihar is a very political place. Despite not having clothes, food, or jobs, people still have political optimism. They leave their work and do politics day and night. But I don’t think there is going to be a revolution by someone’s call here,” he explained.

While Kishor acknowledged that unemployment and migration remain critical issues driving political engagement among young voters, he emphasized that these concerns are deeply local and tied to their lived experiences. “The youth between 20 and 30 years are facing a lot of difficulties due to unemployment. They are forced to go out, enduring a tough life there. That is definitely a big factor in Bihar,” he noted. Kishor suggested that the political consciousness of Bihar’s youth stems from these structural issues rather than the national-level messaging promoted by external political figures.

The Jan Suraaj Party chief was particularly critical of Rahul Gandhi’s repeated allegations of vote theft and his call for youth vigilance during elections. Kishor implied that such statements may resonate in media narratives but have little substantive influence on the electorate. He questioned why young voters in Bihar would heed Gandhi when the general population of the state itself appears less responsive to him. “When the people of Bihar are not listening to him, then why would Gen Z listen to him?” Kishor asked, underscoring the limited resonance of Congress messaging beyond Seemanchal.

Kishor also offered a broader perspective on the political landscape in Bihar, observing that alliances succeed through political understanding and strategy rather than charismatic leadership alone. He noted that the opposition’s attempts to generate hype around vote theft or youth mobilisation had failed to materialize into tangible outcomes, as evidenced by the high voter turnout in the first phase of the election. A record 65.08 percent turnout was reported in the initial 121 constituencies, signalling strong civic participation and reinforcing Kishor’s view that media-driven narratives often exaggerate political influence.

Addressing Congress’s national media presence versus its local performance, Kishor argued that the party’s visibility is largely a product of its status as the official opposition, rather than genuine grassroots strength. “There is no discussion of Congress. What is Congress doing? Congress has little effect,” he said, highlighting the gap between the party’s national profile and its actual influence in Bihar’s constituencies. He implied that despite the attention garnered in the press, Congress has failed to establish meaningful local connections or address region-specific concerns, limiting its electoral impact.

Kishor’s comments come at a crucial juncture in Bihar’s elections, with 122 constituencies set to vote in the second phase on November 11. The first phase, held on November 6, concluded peacefully with record voter participation. The upcoming phase will determine the final outcome of a highly contested assembly poll, with both regional and national players vying for influence. In this context, Kishor’s observations about the limited influence of national leaders like Rahul Gandhi and the localized nature of youth political engagement provide an insight into the strategic considerations shaping voter outreach in Bihar.

In summary, Prashant Kishor painted a picture of Bihar’s political landscape in which local factors, youth concerns, and long-standing regional dynamics hold more sway than the national profile or media presence of opposition leaders. He stressed that political engagement in Bihar is rooted in tangible issues like unemployment, migration, and governance, rather than symbolic gestures or short-term campaigns by outside figures. His critique of Rahul Gandhi reflects broader questions about the role of national parties in state-level politics and the challenges they face in connecting with a diverse and politically conscious electorate.

As Bihar heads into the second phase of polling, the effectiveness of Rahul Gandhi’s outreach to Gen Z and other voter segments remains an open question, while local strategies and ground-level mobilisation are likely to play a decisive role in shaping electoral outcomes.