Even great coaches don’t always win! The same is true in the arena of electoral politics as well. Prashant Kishor, the well-known strategist who made many political parties win various fiercely fought political battles, failed to open his own account in the Bihar Assembly elections.
Prashant Kishor’s debut as a political leader was one of the most-watched stories of the Bihar Assembly Election 2025. People knew him as the mastermind behind historic victories. But this time, he wasn’t behind the scenes; he was on the battlefield. The voters of Bihar gave him a tough reality check when he was on the ground.
The Strategist Who Lost His Own Battle
Prashant Kishor has guided some of India’s biggest politicians to power. His journey began in 2012, when he crafted Narendra Modi’s Gujarat campaign, a victory that pushed him into national prominence. In 2014, he again helped the BJP script a historic win at the Centre.
But Kishor was never loyal to just one side. His skills took him to the opposite camp in 2015, when he designed the Mahagathbandhan’s winning campaign in Bihar, helping Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav defeat the BJP.
From Amarinder Singh in Punjab (2017) to Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh, and from MK Stalin’s DMK to Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress in 2021, Kishor became the go-to election strategist for leaders seeking a decisive win.
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A Short Political Stint and a Sudden Shift
In 2018, Kishor took a surprising leap — he joined Nitish Kumar’s JDU as National Vice President. For someone with no electoral roots, the elevation was massive. Though he played a crucial role in the JDU-BJP alliance’s success in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, his open criticism of the Citizenship Amendment Act ended his JDU chapter abruptly.
This marked the beginning of Kishor’s new dream.
The Birth of Jan Suraaj and the Bihar Yatra
Kishor stepped away from election consultancy and launched the Jan Suraaj Abhiyan in 2021. For months, he walked across Bihar, meeting people, listening to them, and promising a fresh political model rooted in transparency and public participation.
By 2023, he announced the Jan Suraaj Party, a party built from the ground up, to contest the 2025 Bihar elections. His team consisted of a colourful mix: Bhojpuri singers, academics, retired officers, and seasoned politicians who once wore other party colours.
Their campaign was energetic. Their digital presence was strong. Their promise of “new politics” attracted attention. Many believed Jan Suraaj would at least make a dent.
The Massive Rout: From Big Claims to Zero Seats
On counting day, the numbers shocked everyone — perhaps even Prashant Kishor himself.
Not only did Jan Suraaj fail to win a single seat, but several of its candidates performed very poorly to forfeit their deposits. The party that aimed to be a fresh alternative struggled to find its footing at the booth level.
What Went Wrong?
The outcome reveals an age-old truth of Indian politics: social media buzz is not the same as booth-level strength, and political messaging is not the same as vote math.
Bihar’s political landscape, shaped over decades by caste equations, local loyalties, and grassroots networks, remains one of the hardest in the country to navigate. A new party — despite big ideas — cannot rely on digital campaigns alone.
Jan Suraaj’s Bihar chief Manoj Bharti admitted after the loss that “people could not understand” the party’s politics. More importantly, the party could not communicate its message strongly enough on the ground.
What Next for Prashant Kishor?
Before the elections, Kishor repeatedly said that he had committed 10 years to Bihar and would continue working regardless of the results. As of now, he has made no public statement on the defeat. But his party leaders say they will “start again.”
Launching a new political party in Bihar is no small achievement. But the 2025 results show a clear gap between expectations and electoral realities — a reminder that change in Indian politics is slow, complex, and often unforgiving.
Disclaimer:
This article is an analysis based on publicly available information and election developments. This is a developing story. It is intended for informational purposes only and does not endorse or oppose any political party or leader.
Kangkan Kishor Sharma, an M.A. in Media and Journalism, serves as the Chief Contributor at NestOfNews.com. He contributes regularly, bringing insight, passion, and a deep commitment to delivering stories that truly matter. His work reflects a thoughtful understanding of media, storytelling, and the issues shaping today’s world.