Prashant Kishor hits campaign trail from Raghopur, claims Tejashwi will be defeated on his own turf
Raghopur/Patna (PTI): Taking the battle to the enemy's camp, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Saturday hit the campaign trail from Raghopur, the home turf of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, whom he vowed to trounce like "Rahul Gandhi's defeat from Amethi".
The 47-year-old politician received a rousing welcome, with garlands placed around his neck to the tunes of drums beaten by enthusiastic supporters, in the assembly constituency in Vaishali district, about 50 km from the state capital and situated right across the Ganga.
The former poll strategist, who has been touring his home state, mostly on foot, for a few years, was seen chatting up with residents of dusty villages who complained of lack of schools, other basic amenities and schools.
Kishor, who is confident of his one-year-old party making a splash in the upcoming polls, chided many of the common folk, including a sizeable number of women, for "voting for the wrong person, in the name of caste loyalty".
"Your local MLA is such a big man. He has been a deputy chief minister twice. Have you ever approached him with your problems?" he remarked quizzically, evoking replies that suggested that they were not able to get an audience with 35-year-old Tejashwi Yadav.
Earlier, before leaving for Raghopur, Kishor spoke to journalists in Patna, who told him that rumours were afloat that Yadav, who is representing the constituency for a second consecutive term, may contest an additional seat this time.
Breaking into a grin, he said, "At present, there is just a speculation that Jan Suraaj Party will give a strong candidate in Raghopur, and Tejashwi Yadav is so scared. Let him contest from two seats. His fate in Raghopur will be the same as that of Rahul Gandhi in 2019, when the Congress leader fought two seats, but ended up losing his stronghold of Amethi."
Notably, Gandhi, currently the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had managed to win the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in 2019.
In the Lok Sabha polls last year, he again contested from two seats, Wayanad and Rae Bareli, which had been represented by his mother Sonia Gandhi several times.
After winning both seats, Gandhi vacated Wayanad, which elected his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in a bypoll.
The Congress also wrested back Amethi, where Kishori Lal Sharma, a less fancied candidate, defeated former Union minister and BJP MP Smriti Irani.
Kishor was also asked about his repeated averment that he was ready to try his hands at playing a giant killer, by contesting against Yadav from Raghopur, himself.
He replied, "The Jan Suraaj Party's central election committee meeting is scheduled for Sunday, and the feedback he would receive from Raghopur will also be up for discussion. Based on that, the most suitable candidate will be decided. I cannot say whether it is going to be me. The decision has to be taken by the party."
Kishor was also asked whether Bhojpuri superstar Pawan Singh could have announced the decision not to contest assembly polls out of fear, a day after the latter's estranged wife Jyoti met the Jan Suraaj Party founder.
He replied, "Pawan Singh is not an enemy. He is a personal friend, and it does not matter to me that he is in the BJP. When his wife came to me to share her insecurities, I gave her assurance just like a brother. We are very clear that neither I nor Jan Suraaj Party is going to meddle in their marital dispute."
Jyoti was understood to have approached Kishor with the request for a ticket, though she denied it when journalists asked her about the same.
Kishor said, "It is tainted leaders like (Deputy CM) Samrat Choudhary and (ministers) Ashok Choudhary and Mangal Pandey who seem to be living in fear of Jan Suraaj. Ashok Choudhary has rhetorically claimed that he will not pursue his defamation case against me but will fight it out in the people's court. Let him declare which assembly seat he is going to contest. We are ready."
He also made light of several aspirants voicing dissatisfaction after the party released its first list of 51 candidates a couple of days ago.
"It is natural. Thousands of people have built the Jan Suraaj Party with their blood, tears and sweat. It is never possible to accommodate them all when the assembly has only 243 seats. But we are a democratic party which does not keep its doors shut. Everything will be resolved," claimed Kishor.
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J&K CM Abdullah inaugurates upgraded hospital, key road link during Rajouri visit
Nowshera/Jammu (PTI): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday inaugurated a vital upgraded road and a 100-bedded sub-district hospital during his visit to the border belt of Nowshera in Rajouri district, emphasising that public office is a responsibility to serve the people and improve their quality of life.
The chief minister received a rousing welcome on his arrival, with people lining both sides of the road, showering flower petals.
Soon after he arrived in Nowshera, Abdullah inaugurated a vital road link from the highway bridge to Nowshera town and the 100-bedded sub-district hospital during his tour of the area.
The visit of the chief minister, along with his cabinet colleagues, marked a major push towards strengthening connectivity and healthcare infrastructure in the region.
The upgraded road project, executed by the PWD department for Rs 7.99 crore, is expected to significantly improve connectivity, streamline traffic movement and reduce travel time for commuters, officials said.
The chief minister also inaugurated the upgraded 100-bedded sub-district hospital, developed at an estimated cost of Rs 18.18 crore. The facility is equipped with modern healthcare infrastructure aimed at enhancing patient care and expanding access to quality medical services for the people of Nowshera and adjoining areas, they said.
During his visit, Abdullah took a detailed tour of the hospital and inspected key sections, including X-ray, ECG and ultrasound rooms, examination rooms, and the blood storage unit. He interacted with doctors, staff and patients, enquiring about the availability and quality of healthcare services.
Addressing a massive public gathering, Abdullah emphasised that public office is a responsibility to serve the people and improve their quality of life.
"Positions of power are not meant for personal comfort but to bring relief to the people and make their lives easier. Our priority is to strengthen schools, hospitals, roads, and address unemployment and poverty," he said.
He highlighted key initiatives aimed at boosting connectivity, healthcare and overall socio-economic growth in Rajouri and adjoining areas.
Interacting with the public, he assured that the voices and aspirations of the people of the Pir Panjal region would continue to guide policy decisions and drive responsive governance on the ground.
The chief minister reiterated the government’s commitment to regularising daily wagers and ensuring justice for Anganwadi and ASHA workers through improved wages and stipends.
He also highlighted various welfare initiatives, including the provision of free gas cylinders to the poorest households, electricity support and free bus travel for women.
Highlighting recent developmental achievements, he noted that projects like the Nowshera road and hospital, which had remained pending for years, were completed due to the focused efforts of the present government.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said that key infrastructure projects in the region have been realised under the leadership of the chief minister, reaffirming the government's commitment to balanced and equitable development across Jammu and Kashmir.
