Bihar: ‘Jan Suraaj’ faces flak over poster targeting Lalu's family

Patna: Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor, whose ‘Jan Suraaj’ is poised to become a full-fledged political party, on Monday came under attack from the I.N.D.I.A. bloc in Bihar over a poster targeting RJD president Lalu Prasad’s family.

A ‘Jan Suraaj’ spokesman, however, made it clear that the poster was put up by "one of our supporters in personal capacity", and the platform "did not believe in making personal attacks on political opponents".

The poster, which can be seen at a number of places in the city, including Birchand Patel Marg where the RJD office is situated, has been put up by ‘Jan Suraaj’ activist Aparna Yadav, about whom not much is known in political circles of Bihar.

Although nobody has been named in the poster, the slogan "Jo bahu ka nahin hua vo Bihar ka kya hoga (the one who did not care for his daughter-in-law cannot care for Bihar)" is being seen as an obvious dig at Prasad, whose son Tej Pratap Yadav separated from wife Aishwarya within months of their marriage.

The RJD and its allies like the Congress reacted with indignation.

RJD spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwary called Kishor "a political bahurupiya (impersonator)”, who was "bound to bite dust".

Congress leader Shishir Kaundilya said: "Kishor must learn decorum in public life if he is serious about pursuing a political career.” The IPAC founder, who has worked in professional capacity for leaders as diverse as Narendra Modi, Nitish Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee, gave up political consultancy after the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections.

Hailing from Buxar district of Bihar, the 47-year-old launched ‘Jan Suraaj’ as a bottom-up campaign aimed at building a political platform, which could pull the state out of the rut of backwardness.

On October 2, the new party will be launched at the city's Veterinary College ground where, incidentally, Tej Pratap Yadav's marriage ceremony was held six years ago.

Meanwhile, the ‘Jan Suraaj’ made it clear that it did not wish to be associated with the controversy over the poster.

"Lakhs of people have been associated with ‘Jan Suraaj’. Aparna Yadav is one of them. But, her views must not be seen as that of ‘Jan Suraaj’. We are out to fight a political battle and not to make personal attacks,” said spokesman Sanjay Thakur.