Patna, Oct 2 (PTI) – Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of diverting the nation’s wealth to Gujarat after being elected by citizens impressed with his performance in the state.
Kishor, the founder of I-PAC and known for his pivotal role in managing Modi’s successful 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, made this sharp criticism during a public meeting to mark the launch of his new political party, Jan Suraaj Party.
“People like you and me voted for Modi, captivated by his speeches and believing he had greatly advanced the development of Gujarat. Indeed, Gujarat is progressing, but it seems the wealth of the entire nation has been funneled there, with factories springing up in every village. Meanwhile, people from Bihar are migrating to Gujarat in search of jobs,” Kishor claimed.
The 47-year-old leader emphasized that voters receive what they choose in elections, asking, “How can the people of Bihar expect development if they voted for the growth of Gujarat?”
Kishor, who had previously worked with JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar and RJD president Lalu Prasad when the two former rivals joined forces to lead the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ to victory in the 2015 Bihar assembly elections, also took a jab at the two leaders who have dominated the state’s politics for the last three decades.
“You voted for Lalu Ji in the name of social justice and dignity for the poor. And no one can deny that during his regime, the poor gained the right to live with respect, though law and order collapsed, and economic progress came to a standstill,” said Kishor, referencing the RJD’s nearly 15-year rule.
“Similarly, you voted for Nitish Kumar, expecting better roads and electricity. He delivered on those promises. But now, his obsession with smart pre-paid meters is burdening electricity consumers,” added Kishor, who was once the national vice president of JD(U).
“Similarly, today people are voting for Modi in exchange for five kilograms of ration. Everyone is receiving it, though corruption might be shaving off a kilogram from their share,” Kishor said. “But during my travels across Bihar, I have learned that people have never voted to secure a better future for their own children.”
He continued, “The Jan Suraaj campaign, which has now evolved into a political party, is an effort to make people understand the root of the problems in the state. Vote for your children’s future, focusing on better education and job opportunities, and you’ll see real change.”
Kishor’s criticism of leaders from the state’s three largest parties appeared to be an attempt to counter the perception that he was merely a “spoiler” who could divide votes and disrupt other political players.
While the RJD has labeled Jan Suraaj as the “B team of the BJP,” some state BJP leaders have expressed suspicion that Kishor might be backed by his former clients, who include figures as varied as K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Arvind Kejriwal, and Mamata Banerjee.
Earlier in the day, Prashant Kishor officially launched his political outfit, Jan Suraaj Party, a long-awaited move with which he aims to reshape Bihar’s political landscape.
Kishor announced that Manoj Bharti, a former Indian Foreign Service officer hailing from Madhubani, will serve as the party’s working president until March, when internal elections will be held to fill the post permanently.
The launch took place at the Veterinary College Ground in Patna, with several prominent figures in attendance, including former Union minister Devendra Prasad Yadav, diplomat-turned-politician Pavan Varma, and former MP Monazir Hassan.
The party’s formation comes exactly two years after Kishor began his more than 3,000-km-long ‘padayatra’ across Bihar, starting from Champaran, where Mahatma Gandhi initiated the first Satyagraha. The march aimed to rally support for a “new political alternative” that could address Bihar’s deep-rooted backwardness. PTI PKD NAC ACD
Source: msn
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