Bihar, Nov 16 : The Jan Suraaj Party, founded by former election strategist Prashant Kishor, has levelled serious accusations against the Nitish Kumar led Bihar government and the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). A day after drawing a blank in its debut Assembly election, the party alleged that government funds including a large World Bank loan were used to influence voters ahead of the 2025 Bihar polls.
Jan Suraaj national president Uday Singh told reporters on Saturday that nearly ₹40,000 crore was spent by the Bihar government between June and the election announcement. According to him, the expenditure was routed through “doles and freebies” to “purchase votes” using public money. He further claimed that a ₹14,000-crore World Bank loan was also diverted for election-related spending, calling the scale of spending “unprecedented.”
Singh said the party’s failure to win any of the 243 seats it contested was partly due to voter apprehension that supporting Jan Suraaj might inadvertently help the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). He argued that many voters switched their choice at the last moment, fearing that voting for a new party would split the anti-RJD vote.
The Jan Suraaj president accused the NDA of crossing “all limits” in using financial incentives to secure a sweeping victory. While acknowledging that past governments have attempted to influence voters with benefits, Singh said this election cycle saw spending of an entirely different magnitude, leaving the state with little fiscal space to invest in essential areas such as education, health, and employment.
A major point of contention was the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, under which ₹10,000 was transferred to the bank accounts of women across the state shortly before voting. Singh claimed that transfers continued until a day before polling, even after the model code of conduct came into force, and argued that the cash assistance changed the voting preference of many financially distressed women.
Singh said the NDA would have suffered a “huge setback” without this extensive financial mobilisation. He also pointed out that the state government increased the old-age pension from ₹700 to ₹1,100 only after Jan Suraaj promised ₹2,000 in its manifesto.
Senior Jan Suraaj leader Pavan Verma reinforced the allegations and added more figures. He said the party had information though unverified that funds meant for a World Bank project were used for the ₹10,000 transfers to women. Verma further claimed that Bihar’s public debt had soared to ₹4,06,000 crore, with a daily interest burden of ₹63 crore, leaving the treasury “empty.”
Verma alleged that large sums were withdrawn just an hour before the model code of conduct took effect and were subsequently used for cash transfers to 1.25 crore women. He added that some women believed they would receive the benefit only if the NDA returned to power, potentially influencing their vote.
In an interview, Verma said that while governments may legally shift funds and justify their decisions later, the ethical implications remain serious. He also referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s past criticism of “freebie culture” during other elections, questioning why the same standards were not applied in Bihar.
Despite contesting almost every constituency, Jan Suraaj failed to secure a single victory. Meanwhile, the NDA swept the polls with 202 seats crossing the 200-seat mark for only the second time since 2010. The BJP led the alliance with 89 seats, followed by JD(U) with 85. LJP(RV) bagged 19 seats, HAMS five, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha four.
The Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD, managed only 35 seats, with RJD winning 25, Congress six, CPI(ML-L) two, CPI(M) one and IIP one seat.