Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj has won its first MLC seat as a political party, defeating a Congress veteran in Darbhanga. But in Patna, its candidate, backed by Mokama strongman Anant Singh, lost to JD(U)’s Neeraj Kumar, who had the last laugh in a bitter political battle.
Prashant Kishor (PK)’s Jan Suraaj has won its first seat in the Bihar Legislative Council, defeating a Congress veteran in Darbhanga. But in a seat in Patna, where the party’s candidate was backed by Mokama strongman Anant Singh, the Jan Suraaj candidate lost to JD(U)’s Neeraj Kumar. The MLC poll results have given PK’s Jan Suraaj a breakthrough and Anant Singh, who was opposing the candidate of his own party, a political setback.
Anant Singh had vowed to settle scores with his party’s Neeraj Kumar in the Bihar Legislative Council elections. To defeat Neeraj Kumar, Anant Singh backed Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj candidate, only to see his gamble fail. Neeraj Kumar had the last laugh. Asked about Anant Singh after his victory, Neeraj said, “Let it be. As you sow, so shall you reap.”
The MLC election results in Bihar have delivered a mixed but encouraging verdict for Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party. Its candidate, Suresh Prasad Rai, defeated Congress veteran Madan Mohan Jha in the Darbhanga Teachers’ constituency, giving the party its first Legislative Council seat. The victory comes nearly three months after Prashant Kishor won the Bankipur Assembly bypoll in August, marking Jan Suraaj’s first major electoral breakthrough in Bihar.
But in the Patna Graduates’ constituency, Jan Suraaj’s Anuj Kumar Singh, backed by Anant Singh, failed to defeat JD(U)’s Neeraj Kumar. However, official results for the seat are yet to be declared, reported PTI.
The result is particularly embarrassing for Anant Singh, who had rebelled against his party. A day after the polling, the JD(U) expelled Anant Singh and his wife, former MLA Neelam Devi, for six years over anti-party activities.
The developments came even as counting continued on Wednesday, for eight Legislative Council seats in Bihar that went to polls on October 23.
While Jan Suraaj’s victory in Darbhanga was its first Legislative Council win since becoming a political party in October 2024, a candidate backed by the organisation had won earlier. In April 2023, Afaq Ahmed, supported by Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj movement, won the Saran Teachers’ seat, defeating CPI’s Anand Pushkar by 674 votes.
ANANT SINGH’S GAMBLE AGAINST HIS OWN PARTY FAILS
The Patna Graduates’ contest had become a battle of political prestige even before voting. The JD(U) fielded sitting MLC Neeraj Kumar, but Anant Singh, the party’s influential Mokama MLA, openly campaigned for Jan Suraaj’s Anuj Kumar Singh. The rivalry was personal. Anant Singh accused Neeraj of working against him in previous elections and said he wanted to settle the score.
“I must pay him back in the same coin,” Anant Singh said earlier in October.
Despite attempts by senior JD(U) leaders to persuade him, Anant Singh continued supporting Anuj. He even accompanied the Jan Suraaj candidate during the nomination process. The rebellion proved costly. On October 24, a day after polling, the JD(U) expelled Anant Singh and his wife, former MLA Neelam Devi, for six years.
Bihar JD(U) president Umesh Singh Kushwaha accused Anant Singh of repeatedly disregarding party instructions and campaigning for a rival candidate. The party also sought his disqualification from the Assembly under the anti-defection law.
Reacting to Neeraj Kumar’s victory, Anant Singh accepted the electoral verdict, saying, “We didn’t bring votes from a shop and weigh them out.” He added, “The public is like God. If they give votes, a candidate wins; if they don’t, the candidate loses.”
JD(U)’s NEERAJ KUMAR HAD THE LAST LAUGH
When counting began on Tuesday, Neeraj Kumar took the lead in first-preference votes. On October 28, he told PTI that he was ahead by around 2,200 first-preference votes and expected to maintain his lead during second-preference counting.
In the Patna contest that many a fight between the JD(U) and the Jan Suraaj, the RJD’s Dilip Rai emerged as Neeraj’s principal challenger. Jan Suraaj’s Anuj Kumar Singh, who was supported by Anant Singh, finished third.
By Wednesday, as Neeraj Kumar’s victory became clearer, Anant Singh acknowledged the defeat.
Neeraj Kumar, meanwhile, thanked Nitish Kumar, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and other NDA leaders for their support.
“I don’t have bahubal, money power… I have the power of my workers and the blessings of Maa Kamakhya and Baba Parshuram. I worship Gandhi, who forced the British to leave the country…,” Neeraj Kumar said.
“Where are you, Gunjan? Come, have some sweets!” Neeraj Kumar said, taking a dig at Anant Singh, apparently referring to the Mokama strongman’s premature victory celebrations, for which he had begun preparing a feast even before the votes were counted.