Prashant Kishor Admits Bihar Defeat: Vows Day-Long 'Maun Upvas' as Atonement

Political strategist Prashant Kishor has openly admitted his party's complete failure in the Bihar assembly elections. He took full responsibility for not winning the people's trust despite three years of campaigning. As a mark of atonement, Kishor announced a day-long silent fast at Gandhi Bhitiharwa Ashram. However, he remains determined to continue his mission to improve Bihar's political landscape with renewed energy.

Key Points: Prashant Kishor Takes Responsibility for Bihar Election Loss

  • Jan Suraaj failed to win any of 238 contested seats despite massive campaign efforts
  • Kishor announced day-long silent fast at Gandhi Bhitiharwa Ashram for atonement
  • Political strategist vowed to work twice as hard to fulfill Bihar improvement mission
  • NDA secured overwhelming victory with 202 seats in 243-member Bihar Assembly
3 min read

I could not win faith of people of Bihar, Prashant Kishor admits defeat, vows 'Maun Upvas' for a day

Political strategist Prashant Kishor admits Jan Suraaj's complete failure in Bihar elections, announces silent fast as atonement while vowing to continue his mission.

"I could not win the faith of the people of Bihar. I take that responsibility 100 per cent on myself. - Prashant Kishor"

Patna, November 18

Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Tuesday acknowledged the failure of his party in the recent elections, admitting that the organisation was unable to bring about a change in power in Bihar. Further, he has taken a 'maun upvas' (vow of silence) for "failing to change the government".

Despite the setback, Kishor vowed to work twice as hard to fulfil his resolve to make Bihar better.

"We made an honest effort, but it was completely unsuccessful. There's no harm in admitting this. Forget about systemic change; we couldn't even bring about a change in power. But we certainly played some role in changing Bihar's politics." Kishor said at a press conference here.

Taking responsibility for the party's failure, Kishor said, "There must have been some mistake in our efforts, in our thinking, in the way we explained that the public had not elected us. If the public did not show faith in us, then the responsibility for that is completely mine. I take that responsibility 100 per cent on myself, that I could not win the faith of the people of Bihar."

As a mark of atonement, Kishor announced a day-long silent fast at the Gandhi Bhitiharwa Ashram on November 20th.

"I will work twice as hard as you've seen me work over the past three years and put in all my energy. There's no question of backing down. There's no turning back until I fulfil my resolve to make Bihar better. I failed to explain to the people of Bihar the basis on which they should vote and why they should create a new system. Therefore, as atonement, I will observe a day-long silent fast at the Gandhi Bhitiharwa Ashram on November 20th... " he said.

Kishor also defended his party's track record, saying, "We may have made mistakes, but we have not committed any crime. We have not committed the crime of spreading caste-based poison in society. We have not played Hindu-Muslim politics in Bihar. We have not committed the crime of dividing people in the name of religion. We have not committed the crime of giving money to the poor, innocent people of Bihar and buying their votes".

Jan Suraaj failed to open an account in the 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections. Even after garnering huge public support during the campaign, the party was unable to win a single seat. Jan Suraaj party had contested 238 of Bihar's 243 Assembly seats.

The NDA's 'tsunami' swept away the opposition Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, with the BJP emerging as the single-largest party with 89 seats, and the Janata Dal (United) finishing a close second with 85. The other allies of the ruling coalition also registered high strike rates.

The ruling NDA got 202 seats, a three-fourths majority in the 243-member House. This is the second time the NDA has crossed the 200-mark in the assembly polls. In the 2010 polls, it had won 206 seats.

In the NDA, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 89 seats, Janata Dal (United) won 85, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJPRV) won 19, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (HAMS) won five, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha won four seats.

In Mahagathbandhan, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) won 25 seats, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) - CPI(ML)(L) - two, Indian Inclusive Party (IIP) - one and Communist Party of India (Marxist) - CPI(M) one seat.

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) won five seats, and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) got one seat.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Maun upvas won't change ground reality. Bihar needs development, not political gimmicks. I appreciate his clean politics stance though - no caste or religious division is commendable. 👍
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Arjun K
As a Bihari, I saw his campaign. Good intentions but too theoretical. Bihar voters want immediate solutions to unemployment and migration. His vision was too long-term for practical politics.
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Sarah B
Interesting to see a political strategist turned politician learning the hard way. Running campaigns for others is different from building your own political base. The silence fast seems more symbolic than substantive.
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Vikram M
Zero seats out of 238 contested? That's a complete rejection by Bihar voters. Maybe people don't want outsiders telling them how to vote. Local leadership matters more than strategic planning.
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Michael C
His admission of failure is refreshing in Indian politics where leaders rarely accept mistakes. The commitment to continue working for Bihar despite the setback shows character. Hope he learns and comes back stronger.
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Ananya R
At least he's not doing the usual blame game! But honestly, in Bihar, without strong grassroots workers and local connect, no amount of strategy works. Hope he builds proper organization next time. 🙏

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