Tejashwi Yadav (L), Prashant Kishor.
Credit: PTI Photos
Patna: Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor said the Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav would meet the same fate in Raghopur Assembly, an RJD bastion, just as it happened with Rahul Gandhi in Amethi from where he lost in 2019.
PK, as Prashant is fondly known, sounded poll bugle on Saturday from Raghopur, the VVIP constituency in Vaishali district from where Lalu Prasad won twice while Rabri Devi was elected as a legislator thrice.
“Both Lalu and Rabri served as Bihar CM after winning from Raghopur. Tejashwi too won from Raghopur in 2015 and 2020 and served as Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister twice. Still, there is no answer why Raghopur has not developed despite being a VVIP constituency,” said PK.
The poll strategist-turned-politician said he would convene a meeting of local leaders in Raghopur on Sunday and get feedback on who would be the best candidate to take Tejashwi head-on.
“If I contest from Raghopur, Tejashwi will have to flee from here and contest from another seat as well, just as Rahul Gandhi had to contest from Wayanad during 2019 parliamentary polls, besides Amethi,” said PK, refusing to confirm whether he will be the Jan Suraaj nominee against Tejashwi from Raghopur.
PK, who has released the list of 51 candidates, did not figure in the first list. There is still suspense on whether he will himself contest the Assembly poll or not. “It’s up to the party’s central committee to decide whether I should throw my hat in the ring or not,” said PK, who has decided to field candidates in all the 243 constituencies.
Jan Suraaj is the only party which has announced candidates for the first phase of election, which is slated for November 6. The second and last phase of the poll will take place on November 11. Counting of votes for the 243 seats is scheduled for November 14. The term of the present Bihar Assembly ends on November 22.