Samastipur (Bihar): In Samastipur, Prashant Kishor, the leader of Jan Suraaj, addressed the public on Thursday, highlighting the prevailing dynamics of leadership and politics in Bihar. He emphasized that becoming a leader in Bihar is often attributed to familial connections rather than caste background. He cited the example of Samrat Chowdhary, the state president of BJP, whose father Shakuni Chowdhary served as a minister in various governments, including Congress, Lalu's, Nitish's, and Manjhi's. Prashant Kishor pointed out that to have a significant political presence in Bihar, it is often necessary to be the son or daughter of MPs and MLAs, as their support tends to be a crucial factor.
Politics reserved for those with access to money: Kishor
Prashant Kishor further expressed that entering politics is predominantly reserved for those who have access to financial resources through their parents or relatives. He emphasized that over the past three decades, only 1250 individuals from influential families have become MLAs and MPs in Bihar.
According to Prashant Kishor, a significant number of youth in Bihar join political organisations with the aspiration of becoming leaders. However, they often find themselves relegated to performing tasks for the party, such as participating in road strikes, being part of the crowd, and getting arrested on behalf of the party. As time passes and family responsibilities increase, approximately 80 out of 100 young individuals tend to leave politics by the age of 30-32.
Leadership cannot be achieved by following others: Kishore
Prashant Kishor noted that those who remain in politics are often given menial tasks by political parties and are viewed as intermediaries in society and their villages. They engage in activities like offering money to government employees in exchange for minor favors, earning commissions for themselves. Prashant Kishor emphasised that true leadership cannot be achieved by merely following others. Instead, individuals should strive to connect with their society and roots. A person can only become a leader when they have the support and following of 100-500 people who believe in their ideas and vision.
