Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Tuesday, 4 August declared that the Bankipur by-election result should be read primarily as a repudiation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rather than a straightforward victory for his party. Speaking after the bypoll outcome, Kishor argued that voters in Bankipur, Patna, had sent an unambiguous signal to the BJP leadership about governance and leadership quality in Bihar.

Kishor's Core Message to BJP

'One should focus more on the BJP's defeat than on the victory in this election,' Kishor said. 'The people of Bihar, especially the voters of Bankipur, have sent a message to the BJP and its leadership. They were given an opportunity to form a government with a massive majority and should not squander that mandate. They should not entrust the leadership of the government to the wrong person.'

He warned that overconfidence had become the BJP's undoing. 'The BJP believes it can never lose an election. It thinks people will vote for it regardless of the face it puts forward. That mindset is one of the reasons voters have turned against the party,' he said.

The 'Jungle Raj' Argument

Kishor made a pointed reference to the BJP's long-standing electoral strategy in Bihar — invoking the spectre of 'Jungle Raj' associated with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav — and argued that the tactic had now backfired. 'For years, the BJP has sought votes by invoking the fear of Jungle Raj, and they have received public support on that basis. However, if someone associated with that very Jungle Raj is brought into power after being draped in saffron, the people will not accept it. BJP supporters have now voted against the party for this reason,' he said.

He also cautioned that electoral victories are not permanent. 'The BJP leadership believes that votes will continue to come either in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or by instilling fear of Lalu Prasad Yadav among the people. They must understand that no one's victory is permanent. If you do not work for the people, the same public that brought you to power can remove you from it,' Kishor said.

Rejecting the Kejriwal Comparison

When asked whether he considered himself Bihar's equivalent of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Kishor firmly rejected the analogy. 'Absolutely not. I am Prashant Kishor. Every state has its own leaders. Why compare me only with Arvind Kejriwal? Why not compare me with Mamata Banerjee or other successful regional leaders? Every new leader who wins an election does not automatically become Kejriwal. He is neither the first nor the last person to achieve electoral success,' he said.

Attacks on BJP MP Manoj Tiwari and Bihar CM

Kishor launched a sharp attack on BJP Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari over his conduct during the campaign. 'Manoj Tiwari revealed his true character during this election. Bringing a distressed family, already suffering severe mental trauma, to meet Samrat Choudhary and creating the impression that a compromise had been reached merely for electoral gain was, in my view, highly objectionable,' he said. He challenged Tiwari to ensure justice for the family, warning that 'the people of Bihar remember these things and judge leaders accordingly.'

On Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Kishor said he harboured no personal grievance but expressed concern about the quality of the state's leadership. He also responded to Janata Dal (United) MLA Anant Kumar Singh's claim that the result would have been different had former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar been at the helm, calling it 'his assessment and perspective' and noting that speculation about hypothetical scenarios 'serves little purpose.'

On Tejashwi Yadav, BJP President, and Future Plans

Kishor acknowledged Tejashwi Yadav as a significant Opposition figure, saying 'the people will decide his future based on the work he does.' He extended goodwill to newly elevated BJP National President Nitin Nabin, describing his rise as 'a matter of pride for Bihar' while adding that the pride 'will grow even further if he performs successfully in his role.' On his own plans, Kishor said he would 'continue doing what I have been doing for the last three years.' The Bankipur result positions Jan Suraaj Party as a credible electoral force in Bihar ahead of the state assembly elections.