Patna, October 10
The Jan Suraaj Party, led by political strategist–turned–politician Prashant Kishor, on Thursday announced its first list of 51 candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, marking its debut in state electoral politics. The list, unveiled in Patna, reflects the party’s focus on social inclusivity, clean governance, and representation for backward communities.
Addressing a press conference, Uday Singh, the party’s National President, said Jan Suraaj has sought to maintain caste balance while prioritising candidates from backward and extremely backward communities. “This is the first set of 51 names, comprising seven candidates for reserved seats and 44 for general seats. Tickets have been given to 17 candidates from extremely backward classes (EBC), 11 from backward classes (BC), and seven from minority communities,” Singh said.
He added that the selection process aimed to ensure “representation for every community in proportion to its population,” underscoring the party’s attempt to reach beyond traditional caste-based politics while acknowledging Bihar’s social realities.
The candidate list mirrors Prashant Kishor’s vision of “corruption-free and accountable governance.” Many of those chosen come from professional and bureaucratic backgrounds — a deliberate strategy to project credibility and administrative competence. The party’s leadership said it wants to introduce “new faces with clean images” to Bihar’s political arena.
Among the prominent candidates are senior lawyer Y.V. Giri, who will contest from the Manjhi constituency in Saran, and former DGP R.K. Mishra from Darbhanga. Renowned academic K.C. Sinha has been named as the party’s candidate from Kumhrar in Patna, while Kishore Kumar will represent Saharsa.
The list also includes several figures with notable political lineage. Lata Singh, daughter of former JD(U) national president and ex-Union minister R.C.P. Singh, will contest from Asthawan in Nalanda district. R.C.P. Singh, who once joined the BJP after leaving JD(U), had later launched his own outfit, Aap Sabki Aawaz, which merged with Jan Suraaj earlier this year.
In another high-profile nomination, Jagrati Thakur, granddaughter of socialist icon and former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, will contest from Morwa in Samastipur. Jagrati, daughter of Karpoori Thakur’s younger son Virendra Nath Thakur, joined Jan Suraaj last year.
The party has also fielded Bhojpuri film actor Ritesh Pandey from the Kargahar seat in Rohtas district, signaling an effort to attract youth and entertainment industry supporters.
By blending technocrats, professionals, and political heirs, Jan Suraaj aims to position itself as a credible alternative to Bihar’s entrenched political players. As the state heads toward the polls, all eyes will be on whether Prashant Kishor’s experiment in people-driven, reform-oriented politics can convert grassroots mobilisation into electoral success.