'Won't contest elections' says Prashant Kishor, hits out at JDU on 'dhandhebaaz' remark
Patna, Nov 13: Political strategist turned activist Prashant Kishor ruled out the possibility of contesting elections himself, but reiterated his pledge to build a "better alternative" for his home state of Bihar.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he also lambasted JD(U) leaders for alleging that he was a "dhandhebaaz" (trader) with little political acumen, and challenged them to ask Chief Minister Nitish Kumar "why he had me put up at his residence for two years".
"Why would I contest polls? I have no such aspirations," snapped the I-PAC founder on being asked repeatedly whether he planned to enter the electoral arena himself.
Prashant Kishor is young, speaks for publicity: Bihar CM Nitish
He
was
speaking
on
the
eve
of
the
district
convention,
for
West
Champaran,
scheduled
on
Sunday
when
people's
opinions
will
be
sought
as
to
whether
the
"Jan
Suraaj"
campaign
should
be
made
a
political
party.
Kishor,
who
is
on
a
3,500-km-long
"padayatra"
of
the
state,
said
similar
people's
polls
will
be
held
in
all
districts
of
the
state
based
on
which
the
next
course
of
action
will
be
decided.
Kisor claimed Kumar will once again shower encomiums on him if he joins his "political enterprise".
"Since I have charted an independent course for myself, he and his lackeys are unhappy with me," he said.
"JD(U) leaders like to berate me. They should ask Nitish Kumar what was I doing at his residence for two years if I had no political understanding," he added.
Replying to a query, Kishor said he did not repent for having worked with Kumar in the past.
Don’t make Bihar Pakistan: BJP tells Nitish Kumar
"There is a world of difference between what he (Kumar) was 10 years ago and what he is now. He had given up his chair in 2014 owning moral responsibility for his party's drubbing in Lok Sabha polls. Now, he is willing to make any type of compromise to stay in power," Kishor said.
Mocking the grand alliance government's promise of 10 lakh jobs a year, Kishor said, "I have said it many times and I say it again -- if they fulfil the promise I will give up my campaign."