Tej Pratap Yadav, who is finding it hard to get back into a strong position in Bihar after being removed from the RJD, met with Prashant Kishor (a former political advisor) late on Tuesday night to ask his opinion about how things are changing in the state. They met at a secret location, and this has led to people talking about the possibility of a third political group being formed, and makes the current, uncertain political climate of Bihar even more pressing.
Yadav said on social media that the meeting was important, and that they talked about what’s good for the public, what people want, and how the relationships between different political forces are changing. He also said that talking to Kishor made him even more sure that he wants to help people, and to do so with a positive attitude.
Why the meeting matters
The president of Janshakti Janata Dal has a difficult road ahead of him to get back into politics after his party didn’t win any seats in the November election. He came in third place in Mahua, and almost lost his chance to keep his seat, while his brother Tejashwi won for the third time in a row in nearby Raghopur.
Showing that a bigger political discussion is happening, Yadav mentioned leaders from lots of different parties in his social media post, including Tejashwi Yadav, Rahul Gandhi, and Samrat Choudhary (the Chief Minister of Bihar). Although leaders from both the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan have refused to say anything official, some have said privately that if Yadav and Kishor worked together, they could create a third political group.
PK’s stance and earlier remarks
Kishor has said many times that Jan Suraaj is meant to give Bihar a different political option, and he doesn’t plan to join with other parties. His group ran in 238 of Bihar’s 243 districts in the last election, but didn’t win any.
Kishor said after the election that the NDA’s promise to give 10,000 rupees to each of over 15 million women who run their own businesses damaged his party’s chances. In past interviews he’s also stated that while Tej Pratap Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, and Samrat Choudhary all come from political families, Tej Pratap seems more honest.
Kishor frequently criticizes Tejashwi and Choudhary regarding their education. Choudhary, who last week became Bihar’s first BJP Chief Minister, is the son of Shakuni Choudhary and Parvati Devi, both former members of Parliament.
Background: Tej Pratap’s political path
Tej Pratap is the older son of Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, who was also a Chief Minister. He was removed from the RJD last year because of claims about a personal relationship, and after that he started the Janshakti Janata Dal.
Because his party didn’t win any seats and he only came third in Mahua, he’s now not very important in Bihar politics. Contacting Kishor shows he’s trying a new strategy that involves getting his message to the public, fixing how his organization works, and focusing on particular issues.
Yadav said these were the main things they discussed:
– What the public needs, and politics in the future
– What people expect, and the changing political situation
– Being more determined to serve the public
What comes next
There hasn’t been any announcement of an alliance. Kishor is traveling around Bihar with Jan Suraaj and insists he doesn’t want to team up with anyone. Yadav has described the conversation with Kishor as a significant point in his political career.
What’s happening ‘behind the scenes’ is becoming more important. With the RJD reorganizing under Tejashwi, the NDA becoming stronger under Samrat Choudhary, and Jan Suraaj suggesting a different option, even just initial talks can change things.
For now, this meeting does two things. It lets Yadav appear to be thinking about things and making improvements, and it tests Kishor’s ‘no alliance’ stance in the real world. It’s not yet clear whether this will lead to a third political group, or make Kishor stick to going it alone, but Bihar’s next steps will come from this conversation.
