Prashant Kishor’s much-talked-about political experiment, the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), appears headed for a disappointing debut in the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025. Three hours into counting, the party has failed to open its account, drawing a complete blank across all 243 seats.
Despite months of padyatras, grassroots outreach, and a campaign pitched as a “new political alternative,” early trends from the Election Commission show zero leads for Jan Suraaj—raising questions about its vote-cutting impact and the party’s future in Bihar’s political landscape.
NDA Dominates; Jan Suraaj Missing From the Map
As JSP struggles, the NDA is cruising toward a historic victory, leading on more than 190 seats.
As per 10:20 AM trends:
NDA: 140 seats (JD(U) 62, BJP 59, LJP(RV) 15, HAMS 4)
Mahagathbandhan: 46 seats (RJD 34, Congress 10, CPI(ML)L 2)
Others: 6
Later trends pushed NDA even further into a commanding position, making the race appear one-sided.
Exit Polls Had Predicted JSP’s Dismal Debut
Most pollsters had forecast an underwhelming performance for Jan Suraaj:
Axis My India: 0–2
Vote Vibe: 0–2
CNX: 0–2
Dainik Bhaskar: 0
People’s Pulse: 0–5
DVC Research: 2–4
Today’s Chanakya: 0
The highest prediction for JSP was five seats, but even that appears unlikely as counting progresses.
“People Did Not Understand Us, We Failed to Make Them Understand” — Jan Suraaj Reaction
Reacting to early trends, JSP Bihar President Manoj Bharti told PTI:
“We wanted to bring new politics to Bihar. Prashant Kishor always said if people understood our message, we would be on top; if they didn’t, we would fail. These trends show people failed to understand us, and we failed to make them understand.”
Netizens Mock PK Over His ‘JD(U) 25 Seats’ Claim
Social media was quick to dig up an earlier video of Prashant Kishor claiming he would quit politics if JD(U) won more than 25 seats.
With JDU currently leading on 76 seats, users are flooding platforms with memes and jibes aimed at the strategist-turned-politician.
Is PK Headed for a Big Poll Debacle?
The big question of the day—whether Jan Suraaj could disrupt Bihar’s political order—appears to have been answered early.
With no leads, the party has struggled to make even a symbolic impact.
Political observers say the lack of a clear caste base, absence of PK on the ballot, and a crowded opposition space may have contributed to the poor performance.
Mahagathbandhan Struggles Despite Tejashwi’s Confidence
Ahead of counting, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav had asserted:
“It will be people’s victory. We are forming the government.”
But trends show the Mahagathbandhan far behind, with the NDA passing the majority mark by 9:30 AM.
Exit Poll Reactions: NDA Confident, Opposition Dismissive
Union Minister Nityanand Rai said voters have given a “seal of approval” to the NDA.
Tejashwi Yadav dismissed exit polls, saying he had “full faith in people’s mandate.”
Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar also rejected exit polls, calling them unreliable.
Counting Timeline
8:00 AM: Counting began
9:00 AM: First trends
Initial bypoll results from 8 states & 1 UT also began trickling in alongside the Bihar results.
Conclusion: JSP’s Political Debut Falls Flat
With the NDA tightening its grip and opposition parties struggling, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj remains absent from the electoral battlefield, raising serious questions about the party’s future strategy and its ability to convert grassroots mobilisation into votes.
