Patna, Oct 25 (IANS): Two candidates of the Jan Suraaj, headed by Prashant Kishor, filed nominations in the Tarari and Ramgarh Assembly constituencies on Friday.

At a nomination event in Bhojpur district's Piro subdivision for the Tarari seat, Kishor slammed the BJP and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whom he derisively referred to as "Paltu Kumar".

He accused Nitish Kumar of repeatedly switching allegiances to stay in power and criticised the BJP’s choice of candidate for the Tarari seat, pointing out that the candidate had previously been a member of the JD-U.

During the padayatra in support of Kiran Singh, the Jan Suraaj candidate from Tarari, Kishor engaged with locals and criticised both Lalu Prasad Yadav’s leadership, referring to it as “Jungle Raj,” and Nitish Kumar’s administration, which he termed "officer Raj."

“The people of Bihar are disillusioned with both Yadav's and Kumar’s regimes and are seeking change. I want to ask voters that a vote for the BJP would indirectly support Nitish Kumar’s return as Chief Minister, suggesting that Kumar’s influence would persist as long as he had BJP’s backing,” Kishor said.

Kishor urged voters to abandon caste-based politics and confront mafia influence. He characterised the BJP candidate as a "bully" and a "mafia," asserting that such figures transcend caste divisions and have no place in public service.

“I appeal to voters to rise above caste and support Kiran Singh, whom he championed as a local leader for women’s empowerment. The people of Tarari now have an alternative in the Jan Suraaj, so vote for the future of your children,” Kishor said.

In the Tarari Assembly constituency, Jan Suraaj faced a significant setback when its initial candidate, Lt. General Krishna Singh, was found ineligible due to his absence from the Bihar voter list.

This oversight quickly became a focal point of criticism, as many viewed it as a fundamental error in candidate selection. Given Prashant Kishor’s reputation as a meticulous strategist, the misstep raised questions about the new party's organisational readiness.

Acknowledging the oversight, Kishor admitted it was a mistake on the party’s part, attributing it to the learning curve of a new organisation like Jan Suraj. He reassured supporters, however, that the party remains committed to an honest and transparent electoral process. To address the issue promptly, Jan Suraaj replaced Singh with Kiran Singh, a local leader and advocate for women’s empowerment, who has since filed her nomination.

In addition to replacing Lt. General Krishna Singh in Tarari, Jan Suraaj also changed its candidate for the Belaganj Assembly constituency. Initially, Professor Khilafat Hussain had been selected, but he later expressed unwillingness to contest the election. As a result, the party chose Mohammad Amjad as his replacement, with Amjad had filed his nomination on Thursday.

Prashant Kishor explained noted that Professor Hussain’s decision not to run prompted the party to reconsider and ultimately endorse Amjad for the Belaganj by-elections.

These corrections allow Jan Suraaj to move forward in Tarari and Belaganj with new candidates, Kiran Singh and Mohammad Amjad, while also highlighting the challenges faced by newer parties as they establish themselves in a complex political landscape like Bihar.

In Ramgarh, the Jan Suraaj candidate Sushil Singh Kushwaha, accompanied by party leaders like Acting President Manoj Bharti and former IPS officer RK Mishra, held a public procession from Mundeshwari Gate to the subdivision office and filed the nomination.

During this padayatra, Bharti lauded the “clean image” and grassroots appeal of Jan Suraaj candidates, affirming the party’s resolve to earn the public’s trust in every constituency it contests.

Bharti emphasised that the Jan Suraaj is committed to winning all four seats in the upcoming elections.

Kushwaha addressed the pervasive issue of dynastic politics in Ramgarh, where, he said, the same family has held MLA and MP seats while neglecting the constituency's development.

Pledging to improve education and reduce migration from Ramgarh, Kushwaha positioned himself as a grounded, people-centric candidate. Confident in Jan Suraaj’s potential, he forecasted a decisive rejection of nepotism-based parties on November 23, when the by-elections take place.

With candidates officially entered in Tarari, Ramgarh, Gaya’s Belaganj, and Imamganj constituencies, Jan Suraaj’s campaign is gathering momentum.