Patna, October 11: Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) on Thursday released its first list of 51 candidates for the upcoming Bihar assembly election, marking the poll strategist-turned-politician’s formal debut in state politics.
The 243-seat Bihar assembly will go to the polls in two phases, on November 6 and 11, with results to be declared on November 14, the Election Commission said. A total of 122 seats are required for a majority, with 38 reserved for Scheduled Castes and two for Scheduled Tribes.
Announcing the list in Patna, JSP national president Udai Singh said the party will contest all 243 constituencies in the state. However, he did not confirm whether Kishor himself will be among the candidates.
“We will soon release a list of candidates for other seats. If you find Kishor Ji’s name on the list, then he will be contesting. It’s quite clear,” Singh told reporters. He added that Kishor would launch the party’s election campaign from Raghopur on October 11.
The first list includes a mix of candidates from different social backgrounds and constituencies, including reserved seats. Some notable names are Drig Narain Prasad (Valmiki Nagar), Awdhesh Ram (Harsidhi – SC), Priti Kinnar (Bhorey – SC), Kumari Poonam Sinha (Nalanda), and Lakshman Manjhi (Bodh Gaya – SC).
Kishor, who has played a key role in election campaigns for several political parties in the past, launched the Jan Suraaj Party in his home state with the stated aim of reshaping Bihar’s politics through grassroots participation and governance reform. The JSP said it would continue releasing names in phases as the campaign gathers momentum.
