How Credible is Prashant's Dream of a New Bihar

Bihar has got a new doctor for its chronic socio-economic-political ills. Prashant Kishore aka PK. After strategizing Modi, Nitish, Mamata and Stalin to power, he is now himself a claimant to it to bring back the golden glory of Bihar. He talks of the fifties-seventies in the state as a golden period in the state when it was counted among the developed states.

His political agenda aims at a new political structure to bring in changes in health, education, end corruption, further social justice, taking all socio-economic classes along on the journey to build a new Bihar.

His Suraaj (good governance) blueprint talks of collective decision-making from the grassroots level way up to the top, not the other way round as political parties have so far understood its definition, he elaborates.

He has prepared a vision document for the state after having visited 2,697 villages in 665 days, the party’s website says. He formally launched his political party ‘Jan Suraaj Party’ on Gandhi’s birth anniversary on October 2 last year, committing to the Mahatma’s last-man-on-the-social-ladder concept as well as promised to end liquor prohibition in Bihar if elected to power. His party’s membership number has swelled to 1,06,45,022.

All this looks appreciable but how he will negotiate the dynamics of Bihar politics with the social justice agenda dominating the state’s political landscape in the caste-entrenched Bihar, is a crucial question.

Bihar has since ancient times been a fertile ground for new and revolutionary social, religious and political ideas. It has the privilege to give Budha and Mahabir to the world.

Mahatma Gandhi launched his political journey with his satyagrah at Champaran; Vinoba Bhave began his Bhoodan Aandolan at Turky; Swami Sahjananad experimented his land reforms at Bihta, Jayaprakash Narain’s Total Revolution saw the unseating of Prima Minister Indira Gandhi and before Kashi Ram took lead in uniting Bahujan Samaj, Jagdeo Prasad launched Shoshit Dal in the sixties.

In recent times, Pushpam Priya Chaudhury, a native of Darbhanga and a London School of Economics graduate, came out as a bolt from the blue sky and launched her political party `The People's Party,’ with great fanfare, announcing her candidature for the chief ministership for this year’s Assembly election by putting in full page advertisements in leading dailies. A lot of money flowed. She had fielded 43 candidates in the 2020 Assembly election but all lost their security deposits.

Vikas Vaibhav, a 2003 batch IPS officer hailing from Bihar in Begusarai, has launched a voluntary organisation, a launching pad likely for plunging into politics, ``Let Us Inspire Bihar’’ (LIB) focussing on educational, social and cultural issues.

The IIT Kanpur graduate visits district headquarters on Saturdays and Sundays to meet the local people and share his views with them on brand new Bihar.

PK has chequered career. He worked for the World Health Organisation (WHO) and expanded the immunisation programme in the tribal areas of then undivided Bihar before associating himself with Narendra Modi in Gandhi Nagar and Nitish Kumar at Patna.

Members of his political consultancy firm I-PAC had worked actively for Nitish Kumar and his coining of catchy tagline ``Abki Bar Nitish Kumar’ was a hit with the populace.

Nitish rewarded him with a cabinet birth in his Ministry and the mandate to advise him.  Departments’ heads were asked to report to him. Son of a doctor couple from Buxar, PK is now a bitter enemy of Nitish. He makes no difference between Lalu Prasad and Nitish and accuses them, Bade Bhai and Chhote Bhai, of ruining Bihar.

After a long period of political uncertainties between 1967-90, the state enjoyed a stable phase thereafter till 2005. It was the period when Lalu Prasad ruled the state. His priority was social justice, and he, to some extent, succeeded on this priority, but Bihar slipped on every parameter of development by 2005, Jan Suraaj Party political document uploaded on its website says.

Though during the Nitish Kumar’s 15-year-long reign development got some momentum, the state saw improvement in infrastructure facilities but due to the continuation of the same political structure, the decades-long socio-economic backwardness and people’s miseries continue. Bihar cannot develop traversing the beaten path, the document says. Both have together ruled Bihar for 30 long years.

Before launching his political party, PK went on a long padyatra throughout Bihar, staying at villages to get a first-hand feel of the under-developed Bihar. PK wants to bring in fundamental changes in this old rutted system. He will reveal how he will do this in his vision document to be released next month.

It is alleged that BJP financed the padyatra and its members also participated in it.  It was at that time said that it was targeted at weakening the JDU.

PK tested his maiden political success last year when a Jan Suraaj activist succeeded in winning the Legislative Council election from Tirhut. But in the December 2024 by- elections on four assembly seats in old Shahabad, his party drew a blank.

Political analysts say his party bears an elitist touch. He has appointed a former Ambassador as the party president and retired IAS, IPS, IFS officers dominate the party posts. IPS officer of Assam, Anand Mishra, who took VRS to join his party, is the spokesperson of the party.

He is neither Anna Hazare nor Arvind Kejriwal but his name is on everybody’s lips. He has declared that he will fight this year upcoming Assembly election to capture power.  

Veteran Bihar-watchers say that post-1990, Bihar has so far got only dream merchants who failed to deliver. The arrival of Nitish to helm Bihar had generated great hopes in the backdrop of Lalu’s lawless Bihar. His first five years’ rule was a great relief but thereafter he took the same route as every other politician does: to somehow stick to power amid the waning popularity. He became the first politician to make a record of turn-coating, earning the sarcastic epithet of ``Paltu Chacha’’. It seems he has run his course.

Now, Bihar is at the political cross-roads. The visible alternative at the moment is Tejashwi Yadav-led RJD. BJP is also not far behind in the race to wrest the reins of Bihar.

Amid this scenario, will the new prophet bring something new in his magic bag which will rid Bihar of its blight? It is too early to sit over judgement on what PK Bihar making Bihar to dream. He needs time and space.