Political strategist Prashant Kishor has once again stirred controversy with his remarks against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Kishor accused Nitish of bowing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remain in power. Speaking at a Jan Suraj campaign event in Bhagalpur, Kishor criticized the JD(U) leader for compromising Bihar's interests for his political survival.
Kishor, who previously worked with Nitish, explained why he now criticizes him. “Many people ask why I am criticizing Nitish Kumar despite working with him in the past. The reason is simple: I cannot mortgage my self-respect like he has,” Kishor stated.
Highlighting Nitish’s perceived subservience to Modi, Kishor said, “Recently, the entire country witnessed that nothing in the current central government can happen without Nitish Kumar’s consent. Nitish wields significant power in the formation of the NDA government. But what did he ask for in return? He did not demand employment for Bihar’s youth, the operation of sugar factories in Bihar districts, or special status for the state. Nitish asked for only one thing: to remain CM even after 2025, with BJP’s support. He sold Bihar’s honor to Modi.”
Kishor further lambasted Nitish, saying, “A leader representing 13 crore Biharis is bowing before the entire nation. Nitish Kumar is touching Modi’s feet to remain CM,” pointing to a viral clip from an NDA meeting in New Delhi where Modi was elected as the NDA leader.
In 2015, Kishor worked for Nitish’s JD(U) during the assembly elections and later joined the party as its vice president. However, Kishor was ousted after criticizing JD(U)’s support for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Recently, the NDA coalition won a majority in the Lok Sabha elections, forming the government for the third time. With BJP securing only 240 seats, the support of allies like TDP (16 seats) and JD(U) (12 seats) became crucial. Kishor accused Nitish of failing to secure special status for Bihar despite his bargaining power in the coalition.
