Prashant Kishor’s first full Assembly election in Bihar has drawn many comparisons with Arvind Kejriwal’s impressive debut in Delhi politics more than a decade ago. The two leaders entered politics with strong public attention, clear promises, and a belief that they could bring new energy into traditional systems. But their electoral journeys have turned out very differently. While Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) created one of India’s most successful debut performances, Kishor’s Jan Suraaj has struggled to make even a minor impact in its first major election.
When the Aam Aadmi Party contested the Delhi Assembly elections for the first time in 2013, it changed Indian politics in a surprising way. Emerging from the mass anti-corruption movement led by activists and citizens, AAP attracted people who were frustrated with traditional political parties. Kejriwal, who became the face of the movement and later the leader of AAP, entered the election as a new, bold challenger.
AAP won 28 out of 70 seats, securing 29.49% of the total vote share. This made it one of the strongest debut performances ever seen in an Indian state election. The results shocked many established political leaders. Soon after the election, Kejriwal went on to become the Chief Minister of Delhi with outside support from the Congress party.
Kejriwal’s rise was linked to several factors. First, he entered politics through a mass movement that had touched millions of people, giving him tremendous visibility and credibility. Second, AAP’s promises of clean governance, better public services, and transparent politics inspired voters who wanted change. Third, Delhi’s political climate at the time was ready for an alternative, especially after years of corruption allegations in national politics.
This strong support, combined with Kejriwal’s image as a committed reformer, helped AAP build a powerful connection with urban voters. Even though the party faced setbacks later, such as Kejriwal’s short 49-day government, its first election created momentum that helped it win even bigger victories in years to come.
In contrast, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj has found it difficult to gain a foothold in its first full Assembly election in Bihar. This election was seen as a high-stakes contest, not only because Bihar saw an intense political battle between alliances but also because observers wanted to see whether Kishor’s political entry could change the state’s traditional patterns.
According to the latest trends, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is set to form the government with a huge majority, leading in 192 out of 243 seats. Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan has been ahead only in 47 seats, marking a big setback for the RJD-led alliance.
In this heated environment, Jan Suraaj, which hoped to offer a fresh alternative, has not been able to secure even a single lead. Exit polls had already predicted that the party would get anywhere between 0 to 2 seats, and the current results are matching those expectations.
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Kishor’s campaign was ambitious and spread across the state. He travelled extensively, organised local meetings, and promised major reforms such as reducing migration, improving education standards, and transforming governance. However, these efforts did not translate into electoral support.
One reason for this gap may be that Kishor did not emerge from a mass movement, unlike Kejriwal. While Kejriwal gained momentum through the anti-corruption agitation, Kishor entered politics mostly through his strategic background in campaign planning and election consulting. This difference in origin has shaped public perception.
Kishor himself has repeatedly rejected comparisons with Kejriwal, saying that their political journeys cannot be measured on the same scale. He has insisted that while Kejriwal entered politics with a large popular movement behind him, Jan Suraaj is still building its organisation and voter base from the ground up.
Another challenge for Jan Suraaj is Bihar’s complex political landscape, which is dominated by well-established parties with strong caste-based support networks. New parties often find it difficult to break through these deeply rooted structures. Even Kishor’s widespread outreach and detailed reform plans could not overcome these barriers in the party’s first major test.
The contrast between AAP’s strong debut and Jan Suraaj’s early setback highlights how political context, public sentiment, and ground-level organisation can differ greatly between states.
While the focus has been on the performances of different parties, Bihar’s election has also made headlines for its high voter participation. This two-phase Assembly election recorded a turnout of 67.13%, the highest since 1951. The counting began with postal ballots, followed by the opening of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) from 8:30 am.
One of the most notable trends was that women voted in larger numbers than men. The turnout among women was 71.6%, compared to 62.8% among male voters. This increase in women’s participation could influence future political strategies in the state.
The high voter turnout shows that people in Bihar are actively engaging in the democratic process. It also highlights that while new political movements may struggle initially, there is always space for change when citizens participate in large numbers.
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