Patna, Oct 9 The Jan Suraaj Party, led by election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, faced its first major internal rebellion on Thursday after releasing its maiden list of 51 candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
Soon after the list was announced, protests erupted at the party headquarters in Patna.
Several disgruntled workers, upset over being denied tickets, raised slogans and created a ruckus.
Senior party leaders had to intervene to calm the situation.
The discontent centred largely on allegations of unfair ticket distribution.
Pushpa Singh, a prominent leader of Jan Suraaj, publicly expressed her disappointment.
“We left all parties and trusted Prashant Kishor and Jan Suraaj. I have been with him since his Padyatra began. Earlier, it was said that the one who worked hardest would get the ticket, but the person chosen has not even visited Mashrak village. Justice has not been served — the ticket was given to a leader who is not visible on the ground,” said Pushpa Singh.
Reacting to the protests, Prashant Kishor defended the selection process, emphasising that the list was made keeping in view the party’s larger vision of system change in Bihar.
“There may be resentment because some workers did not receive tickets, but only 243 people can contest the elections. The list has been prepared keeping in mind our goal of systemic change in Bihar,” he said.
The tension intensified in Saran district, where Jan Suraaj fielded Shravan Kumar Mahato from Baniyapur, prompting Pushpa Singh to claim that local people would not bless anyone else with victory except her.
Similar anger was reported in Benipatti, where the nomination of Mohammad Parvez Alam caused discontent among supporters of Awadh Kishore Jha, who alleged that Jha’s name had long been considered but was suddenly replaced.
According to the official list, Jan Suraaj has announced candidates for seven reserved and 44 general, OBC, EBC and minority seats. The party has tried to maintain a caste balance, fielding the candidates.
--IANS
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