Political strategist and convenor of Jan Suraj, Prashant Kishor, disclosed his fee as an election strategist while campaigning for the upcoming by-elections in Bihar.
Speaking at an event in Belaganj, Kishor, the chief of the Jan Suraj party, addressed frequent inquiries from people about how he finances his campaigns. Kishor said that he charges over Rs 100 crore for advising any political party or leader, as reported by India Today.
“Ten governments across various states are implementing my strategies,” he noted.
“Do you really think I lack the resources for tents and canopies for my campaign? Do you think I’m that weak? In Bihar, my fees are unheard of. For advising someone in a single election, my fee starts at Rs 100 crore or more. With just one such advisory, I could fund my campaign for the next two years,” he added.
The founder of Jan Suraaj, asked the people of Bihar to stop supporting political parties based on ‘jaat’ (caste) and ‘bhaat’(free ration). He said this voting behaviour is causing the state’s ongoing backwardness.
The IPAC founder, who has worked with political leaders of all hues in a professional capacity, claimed that his home state has been given a raw deal by successive regimes in Bihar as also the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
“(RJD leader and former CM) Lalu Prasad and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar kept the whole of Bihar trapped in ‘jaat’ for 35 years. For the past 10 years, Modi has been short-changing you in exchange for 5 kg of ‘bhaat’. You must stop voting for ‘jaat’ and ‘bhaat’ if you want a better future for yourself and your children,” Kishor said in a rally.
The Election Commission of India has assigned school bag as poll symbol to all four candidates nominated by Jan Suraaj, according to a party statement.
Jan Suraj has fielded candidates for the upcoming by-elections on four assembly seats in Bihar. Mohammad Amjad is the party’s candidate from Belaganj, Jitendra Paswan from Imamganj, Sushil Kumar Singh Kushwaha from Ramgarh and Kiran Singh from Tarari.
The by-elections are scheduled for November 13, with results to be declared on November 23. The four seats include Belaganj, Imamganj, Ramgarh and Tarari. All the seats fell vacant earlier this year when the respective MLAs resigned upon election to the Lok Sabha.
Parties Kishor worked with
Bharatiya Janata Party: Kishor gained attention as the key strategist for Narendra Modi’s 2014 Lok Sabha campaign helping BJP secure a massive mandate.
Janata Dal (United): The IPAC founder played a significant role in the 2015 Bihar assembly election helping the alliance between Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) and the RJD-Congress taking it to victory.
Congress: Although, Kishor failed to bring Congress to power in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, he later helped it secure Punjab in the 2021 assembly elections.
YSR Congress Party: YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy tapped Kishor for help in the 2019 Andhra Pradesh assembly election, who helped the party to a significant win.
Trinamool Congress: Kishor’s strategy was instrumental in helping TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee retain power In the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections despite a tough fight from BJP.
Aam Aadmi Party: The IPAC chief briefly advised AAP during the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections and guiding it to a landslide victory.
