Lalu Prasad & Nitish Kumar turned Bihar into ‘labourer-supplying state’: Prashant Kishor

Patna: Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor on Monday criticised RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing them of turning Bihar into a "labourer-supplying" state.

Speaking at a public gathering in Sahar under the Tarari Assembly constituency on Monday, Kishor reflected on Bihar’s historical reputation as a "land of knowledge" but argued that political mismanagement over the past 35 years has led to its becoming a "labourer-supplying" state.

“Such a stage developed first due to Lalu Prasad Yadav’s "Jungle Raj" and later due to Nitish Kumar's "Officer Raj in Bihar,” Kishor said.

Kishor said that the irony of Bihar’s transformation, noting that a state which was once proud of its resilient and capable people - often saying, "Ek Bihari Sab Par Bhari" ("One Bihari is stronger than a hundred") - is now a source of labour for other states.

He added that the phrase now seems reversed, with "one Gujarati stronger than a hundred Bihari," suggesting that Bihar’s potential has been sidelined, contrasting with the progress made in states like Gujarat.

Prashant Kishor held the people of Bihar partly accountable for the state’s struggles by highlighting the impact of voting patterns driven by caste and religion over issues of development and the future of their children.

Speaking in Sahar and other areas within the Tarari Assembly constituency on Monday, Kishor, said: “Bihar's citizens have historically limited their choices, but now, with Jan Suraaj, they have a viable alternative dedicated to the rule of the people and focused on halting mass migration within one year.”

Kishor shared his observations from a two-year padayatra, stating that he had not encountered an area more backward than Tarari in Bhojpur district.

He attributed this lack of progress to the local leadership, suggesting that the time has come for voters to remove leaders who have failed to uplift the region.

Kishor visited various panchayats in the Tarari constituency, including Sahar, Baruhi, Gulzarpur, Kolo Dihri, Bihta, Karath, and Nonar under Piro block in support of Jan Suraaj candidate Kiran Singh.