Prashant Kishor ranks Nitish Kumar among Bihar’s 10 best leaders

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor placed Nitish Kumar among Bihar’s 10 greatest political leaders on Saturday, October 17, saying the former chief minister deserved recognition for efforts to improve the state. Speaking during campaigning for Legislative Council elections, Kishor paired that assessment with renewed allegations that Kumar had been kept in power while others exercised authority on his behalf.

India Today, citing Press Trust of India, reported that Kishor distinguished Kumar’s broader legacy from his objections to the circumstances of his continuation in office. Kishor attributed those objections to what he alleged was Kumar’s deteriorating mental health and governance through proxies. These remain Kishor’s allegations; the account offered no medical evidence or independent substantiation of proxy rule, and included no response from Kumar.

Kishor’s association with Kumar predates their political differences. He managed Kumar’s 2015 Assembly election campaign while leading the consultancy IPAC and subsequently served as a national vice-president of the JD(U).

Remarks followed questions about Anant Singh’s statement

Journalists had asked Kishor whether Kumar, whom he has known for years, could have ordered the killing of political opponents. The question arose after remarks by Mokama MLA Anant Kumar Singh that Singh later withdrew.

Singh said his reference to nine murders concerned members of his own family. He alleged that they had been killed because of his closeness to Kumar during a period when the RJD held power. That account does not establish responsibility for the deaths or substantiate the premise of the question put to Kishor.

Kishor declined to take a position on the dispute. He said Singh belonged to the governing JD(U), while the RJD was the principal opposition party, and left it to the two parties to pursue the issue, including an investigation if they considered one appropriate.

Kishor plans visit after Vaishali boat tragedy

Kishor also addressed a boat tragedy in a Vaishali village the previous week that reportedly killed 13 children. The village lies about 70 kilometres from Hajipur, the district headquarters.

He criticised Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary for what he said was a failure to visit the village, and alleged that its location in opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav’s Assembly constituency explained the absence. The account included neither a response from Choudhary nor evidence establishing that alleged motive.

Calling for assistance and compassion for the bereaved families, Kishor said he intended to visit on October 20 and spend the day with those grieving.