Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor has taken full responsibility after the party failed to win any seats in the Bihar Assembly elections 2025, contesting 238 seats and securing only 3.4% of the vote share. Kishor openly acknowledged the defeat in his first post-election press conference, stating, “All the blame lies with me,” and apologising for not meeting public expectations.

While the party secured a large number of votes that affected the results in key constituencies, it could not break through Bihar’s entrenched political alliances. Kishor congratulated the winning NDA alliance and pledged to continue working for Bihar’s development despite the setback.

Electoral Impact Beyond the Zero Seat Tally

Though Jan Suraaj did not win any seats, its vote share influenced outcomes in numerous constituencies. The party lost deposits in 236 of 238 seats contested, trailing NOTA in 54 of them; however, it finished ahead of major parties in several places.

In up to 34 constituencies, Jan Suraaj’s vote count exceeded the winning margin, effectively acting as a spoiler particularly to the Mahagathbandhan alliance. Kishor’s campaign, emphasising youth engagement, governance reforms, and employment for Bihar’s large migrant workforce, garnered over 16.7 lakh votes in total.

Political analysts credit Jan Suraaj with shifting local narratives towards development and accountability, even if it could not translate this into seat wins.

Context and Background: Ambitions and Hurdles

Launched in 2021, Jan Suraaj positioned itself as a citizen-driven alternative challenging the dominance of caste-based and coalition politics in Bihar. Kishor led a 665-day padyatra covering approximately 25,000 villages and mobilised over one crore members.

Despite this extensive groundwork, the party faced the formidable task of penetrating Bihar’s deeply entrenched political loyalties and formidable party structures. Kishor’s vision to “change Bihar politics by 2031” now faces a critical reality check, with the NDA securing a strong majority of 202 seats. The party’s campaign rhetoric focused heavily on governance reform and curbing outmigration but struggled to break through long-standing voter patterns.

Prashant Kishor’s Honest Reflections

In his first press briefing after results, Kishor said, “The entire blame for not meeting the expectations of the people rests with me. I apologise to all. We made an honest effort but failed to get the desired result.” He extended congratulations to the NDA and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, adding, “The responsibility of governance and addressing issues like employment and migration lies with the winning side now.”

The party’s official social media also reaffirmed this position, stating the outcome was a “setback” but reinforcing the commitment to continue working for Bihar’s future. Kishor vowed introspection and vowed to “learn from this experience” to better serve Bihar.

Prashant Kishor has announced that he will observe a day-long Maun Vrat (vow of silence) on November 20 at the Gandhi Bhitiharwa Ashram as a form of self-introspection following his party’s poor performance in the Bihar Assembly elections. He made it clear that despite the setback, he will not leave Bihar and remains committed to its development.

Kishor emphasised that the Jan Suraaj Party did not engage in caste-based or religious politics, stating, “We might have made some mistakes, but we have not committed any sins.” He rejected accusations of spreading caste or communal divides and affirmed that the party did not buy votes with money, describing their approach as honest and focused on social betterment. This vow is meant to be a moment of reflection and a pledge to work even harder for Bihar’s future.

Prashant Kishor sharply criticised the NDA government’s handling of the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, remarking, “The government directly gave Rs 10,000 to about 60,000 women in each assembly constituency as an advance, with a promise to provide up to Rs 2 lakh later for self-employment. But the real test is whether this larger sum is disbursed within six months.” He gave a number and asked people to contact him if this promise is not fullfilled.

Highlighting the gap in implementation, Kishor appealed to women who had not received the full amount to contact Jan Suraaj, promising to fight for their rights. He accused the government of distributing Rs 10,000 as a pre-election gimmick rather than a legitimate welfare scheme and called on Nitish Kumar’s administration to prove the sincerity of its pledge, stressing, “The money given should not be mere vote-buying but real support for employment.” This statement underscores his insistence on electoral accountability and proper delivery of welfare benefits.

चुनाव के समय बिहार के डेढ़ करोड़ महिलाओं को यह कहते हुए 10 हजार रुपए दिया गया कि उन्हें एनडीए की सरकार बनने के बाद स्वरोजगार के लिए 2 लाख रुपए मिलेंगे। छह महीने के अंदर अगर यह वादा पूरा नहीं हुआ तो इन परिवारों के हक की लड़ाई जन सुराज लड़ेगा। pic.twitter.com/StECRmCatU

— Jan Suraaj (@jansuraajonline) November 18, 2025

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

Jan Suraaj’s electoral debut, marked by honest reflection and acceptance of defeat, reminds us that democratic transformation is often slow and requires resilience. The Logical Indian applauds Kishor’s humility and willingness to engage openly with failure while encouraging readers to recognise the value of new political platforms that foreground governance, youth voice, and accountability.

This experience highlights the challenges new political entrants face in breaking established voter patterns but also serves as a crucial step in fostering greater political pluralism.

तीन साल में जितनी मेहनत करते हुए बिहार की जनता ने देखा है उससे दोगुनी ताकत से मेहनत करते हुए आप मुझे अगले पांच साल देखेंगे… हार तब होती है जब आप प्रयास छोड़ देते हैं!! pic.twitter.com/66lszN6TrZ

— Jan Suraaj (@jansuraajonline) November 18, 2025