Poll strategist Prashant Kishor on Thursday launched ‘ Baat Bihar Ki’ campaign with an aim to create a group of like-minded people who would come together to help Bihar find its “rightful place among top 10 States of India in next 10-15 years”.
Those willing to join the campaign could register by clicking a website www.baatbiharki.in or, giving a missed call at a number 6900869008.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Kishor attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for making ideological compromises to stay in power. “Both the ideologies of Gandhi and Godse cannot go together ,” said Mr. Kishor in a crowded presser.
Mr. Kumar’s party JD(U) is sharing power with the BJP in the State.
Till recently, Mr. Kishor was with Mr. Kumar as national vice-president of the JD(U), but he was expelled from the party after he raised objections over the party’s stand on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the National Population Register and the proposed National Register of Citizens.
“Nitish-ji has always said that he cannot leave the ideals of Gandhi, JP and Lohiya...but at the same time, how can he be with the people who support the ideology of Godse. Both cannot go together. If you want to stay with the BJP, I don’t have any problem with it but, you cannot be on both sides”, said Mr. Kishor.
‘Poorest State’
While taking on Mr. Kumar’s model of development in last 15 years, the poll strategist said, “Bihar has been the poorest State in 2005 and continues to be so”.
Mr. Kishor had also called the Chief Minister a “Pichhlaggu (underling)” of the BJP for, “he has surrendered before them to remain in power without extracting any benefit for the State”.
Political businessman: BJP, JD(U)
The BJP and JD(U) leaders slammed Mr. Kishor for his comments on Mr. Kumar. “He is a political businessman…like a booth-looter of the 1990s era, who himself intends to become a public representative,” alleged State BJP president Sanjay Agrawal.
However, the Opposition party leaders welcomed Mr. Kishor’s remarks saying “whatever, Mr. Kishor had said about Bihar continuing at the bottom of development even after 15 years of NDA regime is a hard fact and in the name of development Nitish Kumar has also glued himself to power”.
Jan Adhikar Party leader and former MP from Madhepura Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav on Wednesday welcomed Mr. Kishor to work with him for the “development of Bihar”.
“Now people of Bihar have become fed-up with ruling and Opposition parties…I welcome Mr. Kishor, former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and other like-minded people to come together to work for the development of Bihar,” said Mr. Pappu Yadav.
However, Mr. Kishor said his aim was to “rope in 10 lakh youth with Baat Bihar ki campaign in the next 100 days”.
“And these youths would choose a leader to take Bihar among the top 10 States of the country in next 10-15 years,” said Mr. Kishor who has also made plans to tour across the State and meet the youth as part of his campaign in the coming days.
Published - February 20, 2020 11:33 am IST
