Patna: The Jansuraj Party, led by strategist Prashant Kishor, has notably influenced the outcomes of the Bihar Assembly elections even without winning any seats. This party has emerged as a significant spoiler, contributing to the defeat of 15 candidates from the NDA and an equal number from the Grand Alliance throughout the state. However, the effect is not uniformly distributed across regions, with only two seats in Patna district experiencing this triangular shift. In closely contested races, the presence of Jansuraj proved crucial. In Bakhtiyarpur, the LJP-R candidate Arun Kumar won with 88,520 votes, defeating RJD’s Anirudh Kumar by a mere 981 votes, with Jansuraj’s Valmiki Singh, who received 6,581 votes, acting as the pivotal vote-splitter.
In Fatuha, RJD’s Ramanand Yadav triumphed over LJP-R’s Roopa Kumari by 7,992 votes, while Jansuraj’s Raju Kumar attracted 8,598 votes, a figure substantial enough to alter the outcome. In Chanpatia, BJP’s Umakant Singh lost to Congress candidate Abhishek Ranjan by just 602 votes, with Jansuraj’s Tripurari Tiwari securing a considerable 37,172 votes and transforming the electoral dynamics. The party’s influence is evident in several constituencies where JD(U) and RJD faced defeats due to Jansuraj’s candidates. For instance, in Matihani, RJD won over JD(U) by 5,290 votes, while Jansuraj garnered 6,774 votes. A breakdown of losses reveals that RJD lost 11 candidates, BJP 6, JD(U) 5, LJP-R 5, and CPI(ML) 3, indicating the widespread impact across major alliances.
Analysts attribute this effect to Jansuraj’s diverse candidate representation, affecting both major political coalitions. Additional contests also saw losses for Male, BJP, and Congress, with close margins influenced by Jansuraj votes. The data illustrates a clear pattern of how the Jansuraj Party has reshaped the electoral landscape in Bihar, showcasing its significant role despite not securing any seats.
