From Buzz to Bust: 5 reasons why Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj crashed in Bihar Elections 2025

Bihar Elections 2025: Prashant Kishor travelled across Bihar for three years, pitching his Jan Suraaj party as an alternative to the state’s entrenched caste-driven politics. Ahead of elections, Kishor told Mint that his biggest achievement is that the party has already changed the political discourse, forcing both the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to discuss jobs, migration, and governance.

Kishor had predicted that his party would either perform exceptionally or end in a debacle – ‘arsh par ya farsh par.’ As the results of the elections become official, it turns out Prashant Kishor’s party has not won any seats. In fact, the party is not even featured in the vote share graph of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Jan Suraaj created a buzz in Bihar. Prashant Kishor’s roadshows and rallies drew huge crowds. Yet, his party failed to open its account. Why? Here are five reasons:

1- Ambition sans organisation

Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj campaign generated buzz, but it did not develop a strong booth-level structure like other parties in Bihar.

Analysts say that micro-level caste networks, local loyalties and sustained cadre mobilisation are key to winning Bihar. But Kishor’s movement showed enthusiasm without organisational spine.

The 3,000-km padyatra and large gatherings created visibility for Prashant and his party. However, visibility would not necessarily translate into votes. Clearly, huge crowds at speeches didn’t convert into committed voters.

2-Hurried Approach

Jan Suraaj had only one leader – Prashant Kishor. The party’s campaign stayed top-heavy, lacking mid-level leaders. On the ground, people were familiar with perhaps only one name.

Many analysts said Prashant Kishor seemed to be in a hurry and should have started by fielding candidates in fewer seats. Bihar politics rewards grounded, slow, generational work.

3- Monotonous Message

Prashant Kishor’s repeated message — that Bihar needs a new political alternative — started on a loud pitch but eventually became repetitive. Voters on the ground asked why he had no manifesto, how he would be different, and with who does he would ally.

As one analyst said, many people who showed up to attend Kishor’s road shows would vote for someone else.

4- Misconceptions Galore

Prashant Kishor pushed a developmental narrative throughout his campaign. But Bihar’s electoral math still hinges heavily on identity and caste cohesion. Jan Suraaj lacked a counter-identity coalition.

Many voters in Bihar had a misconception. Prashant Kishor advised multiple political parties in the past. Who will he side with, one voter asked in Purnea. “He criticised the same leaders he once strategised for,” he said.

Prashant Kishor was pushed to the margins because he couldn’t break the central storyline of the election dominated by the Nitish-Tejashwi binary. The BJP emerging as a formidable force made things more difficult for him

5- Prashant Kishor didn’t contest

Many people asked questions about why Kishor did not contest the election. Was it because he was not confident enough? This led to ambiguity, leaving many supporters uncertain.

Barring a few big names, Jan Suraaj’s candidates were from what many called the army of no bodies.