Patna: Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has launched an indefinite fast in solidarity with students in Bihar, who are demanding a re-examination of the 70th Combined Competitive Examination after allegations of a paper leak.
“I stand firmly with these students… I will remain on a fast-unto-death until this issue is resolved,” said the Jan Suraaj Party founder. He joined the protesting students at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, which lies just a few kilometres from the site where candidates have been staging a continuous protest for nearly two weeks.
Kishor slams Nitish Kumar
Kishor criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his former colleague from the Janata Dal United, attributing the prolonged student agitation to what he described as the chief minister’s “arrogance.” “For the past 16 days, the chief minister has not met the protesting students in person,” Kishor said. He further said that the state government had failed to deliver on its promises to students and accused it of betrayal. “Even senior officers at the Chief Secretary level are finding it difficult to secure an audience with the Chief Minister for these students,” he added.
A police case has been filed against the 48-year-old political leader for his role in supporting the students. On Monday, Kishor said he would escalate the protests if the Nitish Kumar-led government did not act on the complaints of irregularities in the December 13 examination within 48 hours.
Left parties to intensify agitation
Tomorrow (January 3), the student wings of various Left parties plan to intensify their agitation by surrounding the Chief Minister’s residence. They are demanding a high-level investigation into the alleged paper leak and a re-test. “The Chief Minister must break his silence on this issue,” they said in a joint statement.
Jan Suraaj, which became a political party in October last year, has announced plans to contest all seats in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, positioning itself as a student-focused party. Kishor has pledged to transform electoral politics in the state, shifting the narrative from populist measures to substantive issues that deserve attention during elections.
