JD(U)’s sweeping comeback under Nitish Kumar has left Kishor facing intense scrutiny over his credibility and political foresight.
By PC Bureau
November 14, 2025: As the scale of the NDA’s victory in Bihar becomes clearer, a new political debate has erupted far from the counting centres: will Prashant Kishor now quit politics? The question is not rhetorical. During the high-voltage Bihar campaign, Kishor — once Nitish Kumar’s trusted strategist and now his sharpest critic — repeatedly asserted that the JD(U) would not cross even 25 seats. He insisted that if Nitish Kumar’s party performed better than that, he would “leave politics altogether.”
But the mandate has demolished Kishor’s forecast with brutal force. The JD(U) is not merely crossing 25 seats; it is emerging as the single largest party, sweeping more than two-thirds of the constituencies it contested. For a party written off by Kishor as “finished,” this turnaround has caused deep embarrassment to the man who built his image on data-driven analysis and political foresight.
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PK’s Envelope of Credibility Shrinks
For Prashant Kishor, the stakes are unusually high. Unlike other politicians who often abandon pre-election promises with ease, Kishor has cultivated a reputation for precision — the man who reads voter moods, identifies trends early, and predicts outcomes ahead of the curve. His public persona is built on credibility.
Now, with JD(U)’s emphatic resurgence, the spotlight has turned sharply on whether he will honour his dramatic pledge. His silence since the results began pouring in has only fuelled speculation. Political observers note that for Kishor, reneging on a promise made on camera and repeated in multiple speeches would carry reputational costs far beyond Bihar.
A Test Beyond Bihar
Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Yatra, which positioned him as a reformist alternative in the state’s political landscape, now faces an uncomfortable moment. Rivals within the NDA have pounced on his earlier claims, mocking him for “misreading Bihar completely.” Even within the opposition space, some Congress and Left leaders privately concede that PK’s miscalculation has weakened his ability to influence future alliances or shape narratives.
If Kishor does choose to walk back his “I will quit politics” assertion, analysts believe his standing as a political reformer could suffer a significant dent. On the other hand, if he keeps his word and steps aside, he risks abandoning the political movement he has built over two years.
Nitish Factor: A Personal and Political Blow
Ironically, the man who once helped Nitish Kumar craft victories in 2015 and 2020 is now being undone by the very leader he declared politically finished. Nitish’s emphatic comeback — reinforced by the sweeping mandate of women voters and welfare beneficiaries — has not only restored his authority but also delivered a symbolic defeat to Kishor’s narrative.
As celebrations erupt outside JD(U) headquarters under banners proclaiming “Tiger Abhi Zinda Hai”, the pressure mounts on Prashant Kishor to clarify his political future. Whether he resigns, reframes his earlier claim as a rhetorical flourish, or chooses silence as strategy, the question remains a defining moment.
For now, the Bihar verdict has delivered a message not just to parties and alliances but to political commentators and strategists as well: the voter can still surprise the best-calibrated predictions. The next move is Kishor’s — and it will shape how seriously the political class, media, and public view him in the years to come.
