Key Points

Speaking about his two-year campaign across villages, Kishor emphasised that people of Bihar want education and employment opportunities for their children and are tired of hardships due to poverty, limited political choices, and fear of leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav and the BJP.

"We have been saying this for the last two years that the environment is changing... This time, history will be written in Bihar. For the last two years, we have been travelling around the village and saying that more than 60% of the people in Bihar want change. They want education and employment for their children. People are suffering hardships. They lived like this because of a lack of choice and fear of Lalu and the BJP. Now they have an option in the form of Jan Suraaj, they have a way out..," he said.

Jan Suraaj Party Chief Prashant Kishor came to address a public rally in Wazirganj, Gaya, as part of his campaign for the upcoming Bihar Legislative Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan earlier announced that he would contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls. Speaking at a public gathering in Arrah, Paswan declared that his party would support the NDA in all 243 assembly seats to ensure its victory.

"For those who ask from where I will contest, I want to tell you that my party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and I will contest on 243 seats to make NDA candidates win and strengthen the NDA alliance. My goal is that the NDA moves towards victory," Chirag said.

Making the announcement in Arrah, a traditionally weak region for JD(U), Paswan said that he would not contest the election "from Bihar but for Bihar." He added that he would leave the decision of his candidacy and constituency to the people.

Paswan's recent announcement has ignited a debate about seat-sharing within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar. Paswan's demand for 40 seats, citing his party's 100 per cent strike rate in the last Lok Sabha polls, has raised eyebrows among NDA allies.

The LJP is demanding 40 seats, while other allies like Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) are also seeking a handful of seats, while the BJP and JD (U) are reportedly eyeing 100 seats each.

Paswan's aggressive posturing comes against the backdrop of the 2020 polls, where his party secured an almost 5.66 per cent vote share. This brought down the JD(U)'s tally from 71 in 2015 to 43, relegating it to third place behind the RJD and BJP.

Bihar is expected to have its Assembly elections later this year. However, the Election Commission has not announced the dates.

- ANI