‘One nation, one election’ is fine, if intentions are good: Prashant Kishor

Prashant Kishor of Jan Suraaj Party supports simultaneous elections, warns against hasty implementation, and faces criticism from opponents. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Jan Suraaj Party leader and former poll strategist Prashant Kishor said simultaneous elections can be good and beneficial for the country if implemented with the “right intentions”, but it should not be “attempted overnight”.

“At least till the 1960s, elections were held simultaneously for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies and if it happens again, it will be good and beneficial for the country but a smooth phase of transition must be ensured. Such a change must not be attempted overnight,” cautioned Mr. Kishor while speaking to media persons recently in Muzaffarpur

“I have been involved in many elections and I have noticed that every year, a sizeable part of the nation remains involved in elections either at national or State level,” he said.

When questioned on attempts to bring in laws that allegedly target certain communities, he said, “Success of the Bills would depend a lot on the perceived intentions of the Centre.”

Mr. Kishor’s poll consultancy firm I-PAC had earlier handled election campaigns for several leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Aam Admi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and others. “But, things were different in the past”, quipped Mr. Kishor.

On October 2, Mr. Kishor launched the Jan Suraaj Party in Patna amid much fanfare. The party contested on all four Assembly seats in the recent byelections in the State, but drew a blank. It also lost the byelection to the Tirhut Graduate seat of the Legislative Council, which fell vacant after Janata Dal (United) leader Devesh Chandra Thakur was elected to the Lok Sabha.

However, Mr. Kishor said his party was not losing hope and was gearing up to contest on all 243 seats in the Assembly election due in October-November 2025.

Mr. Kishor, currently on a padyatra (foot march) across the State, had campaigned rigorously in the byelections. While launching his party, Mr. Kishor had claimed that he would make other political parties bite the dust in the byelections. Leaders of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which had won all seats in the Assembly byelections, had taken jibes at Mr. Kishor for his “tall claims”.

“He and his party would be finished in the 2025 State Assembly election, forcing him to return to his former profession of being an election strategist,” JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said.