As the battle for Bihar intensifies, the big alliances — NDA and INDIA — are locking horns, but Jan Suraaj is hoping to make inroads. The Aam Aadmi Party too is in the fray, perhaps to test the waters in an electoral battlefield that is pulsing with energy. Voters across the state appear politically aware, articulate and vocal about their needs.
The FPJ team travelled across Bihar to gauge voter sentiment and spoke to party leaders to understand their hopes and strategies.
Mahila Congress chief Alka Lamba said the Congress is confident of its groundwork and connect with the people. Asked whether the presence of Jan Suraaj and AAP could cut into the Congress vote share, she dismissed such concerns, asserting that voters know who truly represents their interests.
On being asked if it was a lost opportunity that Prashant Kishor could not be brought into the INDIA alliance, Lamba appeared defensive, saying that the Congress remains open to like-minded individuals who share the party’s larger vision.
Jan Suraaj, led by Prashant Kishor, is positioning itself as a people’s movement rather than a conventional political outfit. The party is banking on voter fatigue with traditional parties and has launched a grassroots campaign focusing on village-level meetings, door-to-door outreach and an appeal that goes beyond caste or religion. K. C. Sinha, the Jan Suraaj candidate from Kumrar constituency, said his supporters go beyond caste and that people are drawn to education, integrity and change.
Meanwhile, the LJP, led by Chirag Paswan, is eyeing consolidation of the Dalit vote. Party supporters are confident of strong gains, especially among Dalit and youth voters, claiming the LJP could emerge as a deciding factor in several constituencies.
Despite murmurs of anti-incumbency, Nitish Kumar continues to command loyalty among his core supporters. On the ground, JDU workers express confidence that the NDA will secure a comfortable victory, pointing to Nitish’s reputation for governance and experience.
With multiple players vying for space, Bihar’s political landscape remains fragmented. For AAP and Jan Suraaj, the challenge is not merely to win seats but to prove that they can matter in a state where alliances still define the final arithmetic.
