Daijiworld Media Network- Patna

Patna, Jun 27: As Bihar inches closer to its much-anticipated Assembly elections, political strategist-turned-Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor has thrown down a direct and scathing challenge to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, questioning his connection with the heartland he seeks to represent.

In an explosive interview with ANI, Kishor minced no words, daring the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha to prove his grassroots connect. "Rahul Gandhi keeps flying in and out of Bihar, but has he ever spent a single night in a village here? Let him do that once, and we’ll accept he understands Bihar’s soul," Kishor declared.

Taking a sharp jab at Gandhi’s political outreach, Kishor accused the Congress leader of superficial engagement. “You sit in Delhi mocking Biharis, and then land here delivering lectures. That’s not leadership, that’s tokenism,” he said.

But Kishor didn’t stop at Gandhi. He lambasted Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for allegedly making derogatory remarks about the people of Bihar, claiming the CM had insulted Biharis by saying that labour is in their DNA. “He said this to demean officers from Bihar serving in Telangana. Such arrogance is unacceptable, and Congress owes Bihar an apology,” he asserted.

Reminding the Congress of its unfulfilled promises, Kishor resurrected the words of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who in 1989 had vowed to transform Bihar into a development hub. "Decades have passed, and Congress was in power long after. What has it done for Bihar since then?" he asked.

Kishor went on to demand a public apology from Rahul Gandhi for the “decades of disrespect” shown towards the state. “If the Congress can apologise to the Sikh community, why not to Biharis? Or are we second-class citizens?” he questioned.

Taking a dig at the Congress’ relevance in Bihar politics, Kishor claimed that the party exists only as an extension of RJD’s will. “Congress dances to Lalu Yadav’s tunes. If Rahul Gandhi has any real strength, let him contest independently. Try asking for 40% seat share from Laluji and see what happens,” he quipped.

With elections likely in October or November, the political battleground in Bihar is heating up. While the NDA led by BJP and JD(U) currently holds a majority in the 243-member assembly, the opposition INDIA bloc—comprising RJD, Congress, and Left parties—aims to reclaim lost ground. In this charged atmosphere, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj positions itself as an alternative political force, shaking up old equations and setting the tone for what promises to be a fiery election season.