The Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled for October-November, and political parties are ramping up their preparations. The electoral battle is expected to be between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Grand Alliance, but other parties are also striving to create a multi-cornered contest.
This list includes Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraj, an election strategist-turned-politician, alongside Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM). Will these parties prove to be impactful players in Bihar?
Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraj
Prashant Kishor has been a successful election strategist. He is credited with orchestrating the BJP's solo majority win in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and helped strategize the Grand Alliance's win in the 2015 Bihar elections. While opposition parties often dismiss PK's party as the BJP's B team, Jan Suraj's strategies have puzzled both the NDA and the Grand Alliance as elections approach.
Nearly 57% of Bihar's population is under 25, and PK's party is focused on youth, tackling issues related to employment, migration, and education that affect young people. Jan Suraj's engagement in student protests against alleged paper leaks in Bihar's public service exams is seen as an attempt to build political ground among the youth.
Source: aajtak
Well-known YouTuber Manish Kashyap's entry into Jan Suraj is viewed as part of the youth-focused politics. Previously a core NDA voter base, the youth also gave significant support to the RJD-led Grand Alliance in the last elections. Prashant Kishor is from the Brahmin community, with Rajput face Uday Singh alias Pappu Singh as the national president and Dalit leader Manoj Bharti as the state president.
With prominent positions for Savarna and Dalit figures, PK also eyes votes from Kurmi and Muslim communities. If PK can attract Savarna, Kurmi, and Dalit votes, it could harm the NDA. If Jan Suraj can appeal to Muslim and young voters, it may increase tensions for the RJD and Grand Alliance.
Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party
Led by Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party has announced its participation in the Bihar elections without any alliances. After losing the Delhi elections recently, AAP currently holds the government in Punjab.
Source: aajtak
Bihar's unique political climate, intricate caste equations, and absence of established local leaders pose challenges for AAP. Kejriwal's party plans to promote Delhi's education model and mohalla clinics among the public. While AAP is popular in Bihar's urban areas and among young voters, it can significantly influence close contest seats.
Owaisi's AIMIM
Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM holds a strong position in Bihar's Muslim-dominant Seemanchal region. In the 2020 Bihar elections, AIMIM contested 20 seats, garnering 1.13% of the vote, winning five seats, and securing third place on four others.
Source: aajtak
Owaisi has also voiced concerns about migrant workers' issues and contesting against the verification of voter lists in Bihar. AIMIM's core voter base is Muslim, a part of the RJD's M-Y (Muslim-Yadav) equation. AIMIM's entry may impact the RJD's hold on Muslim votes.
Challenges for NDA and Grand Alliance
Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraj, Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party, and Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM could disrupt the electoral equations of both NDA and the Grand Alliance in several seats. With PK's party in the fray, NDA faces the challenge of maintaining its vote bank.
Owaisi's party could complicate matters for the Grand Alliance. If AAP can sway the young voter base, both alliances face stiff challenges. Whether these parties win many seats is another issue, but they will play crucial roles as impact players in tightly contested seats.
