Prashant Kishor launches Jan Suraaj Party, vows to end liquor ban in Bihar if elected to power
Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor said he used to work for other political parties and leaders by helping them in their campaigns, communication, identifying issues and selecting candidates and now he will do the same for the people of Bihar.
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor officially launched his political party - Jan Suraaj Party. During the occasion, Prashant Kishor said, "Jan Suraaj campaign is going on for 2-3 years. People are asking when we will be forming the party. We all must thank God, today the Election Commission has officially accepted Jan Suraaj as Jan Suraaj Party..."
At the launch event, Kishor said that the party has been active for the past two years and recently received approval from the Election Commission of India.
"Jan Suraaj campaign is going on for 2-3 years. People are asking when we will be forming the party. We all must thank God, today the Election Commission has officially accepted Jan Suraaj as Jan Suraaj Party," Prashant Kishor said.
Notably, Prashant Kishor has vowed to end the liquor ban in Bihar immediately if elected to power.
He further said that if Bihar has to have a world-class education system, Rs 5 lakh crore is needed in the next 10 years.
"When the liquor ban will be removed, that money won't go into the budget and will not be used for the security of leaders, nor it will be used for roads, water and electricity. That will be used only for building a new education system in Bihar. Every year, Bihar is facing a loss of Rs 20,000 crore due to the liquor ban," he added.
"On May 5, 2022, I announced the commencement of Jan Suraaj journey. I discussed its 3 aims. Now after 2.5 years of the journey, an important milestone of this journey is going to be completed on October 2, 2024...As a result of the efforts made so far, Jan Suraaj will be established as a new political party on October 2, 2024," the Political strategist-turned-activist said on September 29.
People cannot tolerate arrogance: Prashant Kishor
Kishor on Tuesday - on the eve of launching his own political party - said people have sent out a clear message in the recent Lok Sabha polls that they cannot tolerate "arrogance" or allow any leader to take them for granted.
The poll results have also removed the question mark over Rahul Gandhi's ability to lead the Congress but added that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha still has to cover some distance before the country can accept him as its leader.
"His (Gandhi's) supporters now believe that the Congress can be revived under him. But there is also another dimension. Has the country accepted him as a leader? I don’t think so," Kishor said.
Asked about his reading of the Lok Sabha poll results, Kishor said, "The results tell us that no leader in this country can take people for granted.
People can stand anything but not arrogance. Be it the BJP, the Congress or regional parties, wherever people have seen arrogance and overconfidence, they have demonstrated who is the master."
The verdict has boosted the idea that no one is invincible, he added.
In India no party or leader can become so big that they can have a one-sided sway over the country, said Kishor, who as an election strategist worked for all major parties, including the BJP and the Congress, at different points in time before turning focus entirely to his Jan Suraaj campaign in his home state Bihar.
He asserted that he will not be returning to the growing world of political consultancy, of which he was an early pioneer and its most visible face before quitting in 2021, and will continue to be devoted to the improvement of socio-economic conditions in Bihar.
"I used to work for other political parties and leaders by helping them in their campaigns, communication, identifying issues and selecting candidates. I will be doing the same for the people of Bihar now," he said.
Some prominent personalities who joined Jan Suraaj
Yadav
1. Devendra Prasad Yadav- Ex- Union Minister
2. Lalan Yadav- Retired IAS who served as DM of Nawada and Katihar districts and has been Ex Commissioner of Saharsa district
OBC
1. Mahendra Mehta- He is retired IRTS Officer coming from the Koeri Community. He retired from Principal Chief Commercial Manager and was awarded as the best performing General Manager in Railways.
Muslim
1. Afaque Ahmad- MLC Saran District
Woman
Malvika Raj- She has been selected for the Clean Himalaya Mission (Ladakh) by Pathfinder, a group expedition in September 2015.
(With PTI Inputs)