Ganesh Kendale
PATNA: Poll strategist Prashant Kishor on Wednesday formally launched his political outfit, Jan Suraaj, and announced that his party would contest bypolls in four assembly seats where elections are likely to be held in Nov this year.
He also named Manoj Bharti, a former diplomat, as the party’s first working president. Bharti, a native of Madhubani, comes from Scheduled Caste community, and has served as ambassador in four countries.
“Will you wait till 2025 (when the next assembly elections are to be held) or test your power in 2024 itself?” Kishor asked the people present at the party’s foundation session held at Patna’s Veterinary Ground.
Kishor announced to “root out” the NDA regime from the state, saying, “This is the beginning of the battle now…Ab pichhe hatne-wale nahin hai (there is no going back now).”
Addressing the foundation session, attended by former union minister Devendra Prasad Yadav, former diplomat-turned-politician Pavan K Varma, ex-MPs Monazir Hasan and Sitaram Yadav, Kishor made important announcements from the dais-to implement land reforms instead of conducting land survey and end prohibition.
“CM Nitish Kumar is conducting caste survey resulting in rise in family disputes, but if our party comes to power, we will implement land reforms in the state to improve the agricultural productivity and correct the ownership,” Kishor said, adding that if MGNREGS workers were engaged in agricultural works, farm productivity would increase.
Kishor reiterated to end liquor ban in the state within an hour after coming to office and use about Rs 20,000 crore taxes lost by the stateannually to improve the education system in Bihar.
Meanwhile, different parties took a jibe at the launch of Jan Suraaj on Wednesday.
