Won't seek 2029 votes if Bihar teachers don't get 7th pay panel: Kishor

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Saturday said he would "not seek votes in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections" if he fails to "compel" Bihar's NDA government to implement the recommendations of the seventh pay commission for teachers in the state.

The former poll strategist, whose party is contesting all eight seats of the state legislative council where polls are due later this month, also urged voters to "decide whom you trust more -- Prashant Kishor or Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary", whom he called "an uneducated criminal".

Kishor was addressing a gathering in Saran district, where Independent MLC Afaq Ahmed, now in the fray as a Jan Suraaj Party candidate, filed his nomination papers from the Teachers constituency.

Kishor, the Bankipur MLA, said, "The voters here had blessed Afaq Ahmed in 2022, when he had my support, but we did not have a party organisation in place. Now, we have the entire paraphernalia." "I admit that so far, I could not focus much on issues concerning teachers of the state as I was busy building the party. But now, I have time and energy to spare, and I promise that before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, I will make the state government implement the seventh pay commission. If I fail, I will not seek votes in the next parliamentary elections," Kishor said.

He also warned electors of the four teachers and four graduates constituencies, where voting is scheduled on October 23, to "bear in mind that a victory of the BJP or the JD(U) will strengthen the rule of an uneducated criminal".

"Some of the electors may wonder what was the harm in voting for the NDA candidate if he or she was a fine person. I would urge them to dispel such confusion by asking themselves the question -- whom can they trust more, Samrat Choudhary or Prashant Kishor," he added.