Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, who recently stormed BJP’s long-held fortress in Bankipur, said that if he succeeds in his endeavour over the next four years, the constituency “will look better than today”. In an exclusive interview with TOI’s Adwitiya Deb, Kishor outlined his plans for the constituency and explained why he believes Bihar’s future lies beyond caste politics. Excerpts:What are your immediate priorities as Bankipur MLA? Three things: corruption-free delivery of welfare schemes within three months, an accessible MLA and better education. We also want to help 10,000 unemployed youths from Bankipur find jobs. This bypoll was not about caste arithmetic but about public issues. What was the biggest reason people voted for you? People wanted an alternative. They showed they are not slaves of any party or a neta. There was also anger against BJP’s overconfidence. Bankipur has proved that caste is not the only factor that decides elections in Bihar. What do you say to BJP’s denial of the ‘kutta-billi’ remark?Everyone in Bankipur knew what was being said. Candidate’s quality, contribution and credibility were treated as irrelevant. The message was that whoever BJP nominates will win. The people rejected that thinking.What changed between the assembly elections and Bankipur bypoll? Two factors worked against us in assembly polls—money and fear. Votes were influenced by Rs 10,000 transfers and by the narrative that voting for Jan Suraaj could bring back ‘jungle raj’ (RJD). In Bankipur, neither factor was decisive.Can the 10,000 jobs realistically be created within Bihar? Most of those jobs will be outside Bihar. There are no factories here and no major corporate offices. That itself is Bihar’s tragedy. We want them to find employment while also exposing the failure of successive govts to create opportunities within the state.As a lone MLA of your party, how will you make your voice heard in the assembly?Influence is not measured by how many minutes you speak in the assembly. If people in Bankipur start receiving benefits without corruption and unemployed youths start getting jobs, every MLA in Bihar will face questions from their voters. What is driving youth unrest today? Rapid privatisation, irregularities in examinations and recruitment, and a shortage of white-collar jobs have left many young people anxious about their future. Until education improves and meaningful employment opportunities are created, this unrest will continue. If you became CM tomorrow, what would happen to prohibition? We have opposed the current policy from the beginning. This is a fake law. Alcohol is banned on paper, but is being home-delivered. The beneficiaries are liquor mafias, corrupt officials and middlemen. A progressive and regulated alcohol policy is required to bring the trade under legal oversight while reducing the criminality and corruption associated with the ban. Jan Suraaj would pursue such a model if it comes to power. How can Bihar shed the stigma attached to the word ‘Bihari’?That will not change through slogans. It will change when Bihar improves. When Bihar becomes the educational hub again, there is quality employment and dignity here, being called a Bihari will become a matter of pride, not an insult.What is Jan Suraaj’s national vision? Bihar’s improvement is our national vision. Ten per cent of India’s population lives in Bihar. It is among the poorest and most unemployed states in the country. Improving this 10% of India will be our contribution to the nation.
