Prashant Kishor: ‘Not Gen Z protests, BJP lost Bankipur due to Samrat Choudhary’

Prashant Kishor, the founder of the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), recently secured a significant victory in the Bankipur bypoll in Bihar, defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in this historically BJP stronghold. Kishor spoke to The Indian Express about his win, the protests at Jantar Mantar and Jharkhand, and his vision for Bihar post-Nitish Kumar.

Kishor attributes the BJP's loss in Bankipur to several factors, including the dominance of the coaching institute mafia and paper leaks in exams, economic stagnation, and unemployment, particularly among the youth. He also highlights the lack of social acceptance of the BJP's candidate, Samrat Choudhary, and the emergence of the JSP as a credible alternative candidate.

Kishor emphasizes that the Gen Z unrest cannot be dismissed as mere protests, as it represents a deeper sense of dissatisfaction among the younger generation. He credits his win in Bankipur to three years of groundwork across the state and promises to deliver on employment and education, particularly for the people of Bankipur.

Looking ahead, Kishor envisions a future where caste, religious, and party calculations blur, attracting Gen Z votes. He asserts that Bankipur will see tangible change in employment and education, urging voters to move beyond caste and religion when choosing their representatives.