Kishor Slams Bihar Elitism, Dynasty Politics, and ‘Rental’ Chief Ministers
Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor has once again rattled Bihar’s power corridors. Speaking at a Jan Suraaj event in West Champaran, Kishor accused Rahul Gandhi of “laughing at Biharis,” labeled Nitish Kumar a “CM on rent,” and derided Tejashwi Yadav for “dynastic sloganeering without substance.” With Bihar heading toward assembly elections in 2025, Kishor’s sharp comments signal an aggressive attempt to position Jan Suraaj as the outsider alternative to Congress, JD(U), and RJD. But can rhetoric alone reshape Bihar’s entrenched political order? Below, we unpack Kishor’s critique and the reaction it has sparked.
Why Prashant Kishor Accused Rahul Gandhi of Mocking Biharis in Parliament
#WATCH | Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor says, "Has Rahul Gandhi spent even one night in a village in Bihar? He sits in Delhi, mocks Biharis, then comes here to lecture us. After becoming the CM, Revanth Reddy said that labouring is in the DNA of Biharis... They say that… pic.twitter.com/rPkUOjmKoL
— ANI (@ANI) June 26, 2025
Kishor’s most stinging remark targeted Rahul Gandhi. Citing a 2020 Lok Sabha speech where Rahul joked about “Bihari migrant labour,” Kishor asked rhetorically, “Are we Biharis a joke for Delhi elites?” He accused Congress of paying lip service to Bihar while failing to groom any serious state-level leadership over decades. Kishor’s strategy is twofold:
- Regional Pride: By invoking Bihari identity, he taps into long-standing resentment that Bihar is ridiculed for poverty and migration.
- Congress Vacuum: With Congress nearly irrelevant in state politics—holding zero Lok Sabha seats from Bihar—Kishor hopes to siphon off dissatisfied Congress voters who still lean secular but feel ignored.
Congress leaders retaliated swiftly, dismissing Kishor as an “attention seeker” who never stayed long enough to reform the party. But social-media snippets of Kishor’s line—“Tum Bihari ko mazaak samajhte ho?”—went viral, helping his outsider image gain traction.
‘CM on Rent’ and ‘Lantern Dynasty’: Kishor’s Attack on Nitish and Tejashwi’s Politics
Kishor’s next volley was at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Calling him a “CM on rent,” Kishor ridiculed Nitish’s frequent coalition shifts—from NDA to Mahagathbandhan and back—implying governance takes a back seat to political survival. He underscored Bihar’s grim stats: lowest per-capita income, highest migration, and chronic joblessness. JD(U) spokespersons countered that Kishor “bites the hand that fed him,” referencing his stint as party vice-president before a 2020 fallout.
On Tejashwi Yadav, Kishor employed a generational jab: “From lantern to LED, only the family changes bulbs.” He mocked Tejashwi’s repeated promise of 10-lakh jobs, claiming there’s no roadmap beyond rhetorical flourish. RJD leaders hit back, noting Kishor “never fights elections” and “sells strategies.” Yet Kishor’s critique resonates with young voters disillusioned by unfulfilled employment pledges.
To strengthen credibility, Kishor unveiled Jan Suraaj’s draft “Bihar Model”: agro-processing clusters, district-level universities, and a skill-linked job portal. Whether this gains policy legitimacy or remains campaign fodder will be tested in panchayat outreach programs rolling out next month.
