Nitish Kumar has changed, in grip of 4 retired 'babus': Prashant Kishor

NEW DELHI: Former political strategist Prashant Kishor on Sunday launched a fierce attack on Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and alleged that the state government was being controlled by four retired bureaucrats.

Addressing a press conference, Kishor vowed to remove Kumar from power. He accused Nitish of running his government through a small group of retired bureaucrats, claiming that neither Kumar nor these bureaucrats understood the challenges faced by the people.

He alleged that Kumar had changed and lost his morality, focusing solely on maintaining his position as chief minister. Kishor also predicted that the 2025 Bihar assembly polls would revolve around the issues of liquor, land survey, and smart meters, which he believed would be the downfall of the current government.

"When we form the government after the 2025 assembly polls in Bihar, we will end the liquor ban within one hour," Kishor said, calling the current prohibition law in the state "fake".

He claimed that the state was losing nearly Rs 20,000 crore annually, while the liquor mafia and officials continued to profit from illegal trade. Kishor emphasized that he would persist in speaking out against the policy, regardless of whether he lost women's votes.

"The Nitish Kumar government is being run by four retired bureaucrats. The CM is in the grip of these babus. Neither Kumar nor these bureaucrats are aware of the problems being faced by the people. Kumar has changed now. He has lost his morality and is only interested in securing the chief minister's chair," Kishor said.

Kishor claimed that he had advised Kumar not to become CM when his party had won only 42 seats in the last assembly polls, but Kumar accepted the offer anyway.

Kishor also criticized both the RJD and Kumar's JD(U) for damaging Bihar's interests.

"The people of Bihar have witnessed both of them for 30 years. Now, I am confident that we will win in Bihar in the next year's assembly polls. We will have a comprehensive victory...If our party touches a mere majority figure in the 243-member assembly or gets 10-15 seats more than the majority, it will be a defeat for us. I will accept my defeat. We want a comprehensive victory", he said.

He expressed confidence that his party Jan Suraj would achieve a comprehensive victory in the next year's assembly polls, stating that a mere majority or 10-15 seats more than the majority would be considered a defeat for them.

Kishor said the BJP would face a "humiliating defeat in the coming polls as the saffron party is witnessing a leadership crisis in Bihar".


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