After recent electoral setbacks, a section of the media and political observers began projecting that Prashant Kishor had become politically irrelevant in Bihar. However, developments on the ground suggest a more complex reality, as several governance themes strongly raised by him over the past two years are now being actively addressed by the NDA government in the state.
As Bihar moves closer to the 2025–26 political cycle, an interesting convergence is visible between the issues raised by Kishor and the governance priorities being implemented by the ruling coalition. Observers note that several themes consistently highlighted during his padyatra and public outreach are now being reflected in administrative action and policy focus by the government.
Focus on Quality School Education
One of the central themes of Kishor’s campaign has been the urgent need to improve the quality of government school education in Bihar. He repeatedly stressed that merely constructing school buildings would not transform learning outcomes and advocated for high-quality model schools at the block level, comparable to Kendriya Vidyalayas.
In recent months, the Bihar government has accelerated the construction of large, modern government schools and strengthened teacher recruitment drives. Digital classrooms, laboratories, and improved infrastructure are being rolled out across districts. While not directly linked to Kishor’s campaign, the policy direction mirrors his call for a “quality education revolution” in the state.
Employment and Local Industry Push
Kishor has consistently identified unemployment and migration as Bihar’s biggest structural challenges. He has called for district-level industries, skill development hubs, and stronger MSME ecosystems to generate local employment.
The NDA government has responded with an aggressive push under its Industrial Policy 2023–30, focusing on textile parks, food processing units, and new industrial areas. Large-scale government recruitment in police, education, and administrative services has also been undertaken. Skill development centres and IT park initiatives in cities such as Patna, Gaya, and Darbhanga indicate a growing emphasis on job creation within the state.
Infrastructure and Governance Delivery
Another key plank of Kishor’s messaging has been the need to shift Bihar’s politics from caste arithmetic to visible development and governance delivery. He has repeatedly highlighted the importance of functioning roads, healthcare facilities, and schools.
The state government has simultaneously fast-tracked infrastructure and public service projects, including new medical colleges in multiple districts, road and bridge construction, and urban projects like the Patna Metro and ring road. The emphasis on visible development is seen as an attempt to strengthen a governance-based political narrative.
Crackdown on Corruption in Land and Revenue Offices
Kishor has frequently targeted corruption in land registration, mutation, and revenue offices, calling it one of the most serious governance failures affecting ordinary citizens. He argued that meaningful reform in Bihar must begin with cleaning up the land and police administration.
Recently, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has publicly warned corrupt officials in the land and revenue department and initiated inspections of circle and registry offices. Steps toward digitisation of land records and online mutation systems are being pushed to reduce middlemen and bribery. Administrative action and strong messaging from the government indicate a tougher stance on corruption in this sensitive sector.
Emerging Political Narrative
Political analysts believe that by acting on issues such as education quality, employment generation, infrastructure delivery, and anti-corruption measures in land administration, the NDA government is attempting to pre-empt opposition narratives and consolidate its development-focused image ahead of upcoming elections.
Despite claims in some sections of the media that Kishor has lost political relevance after recent electoral setbacks, the continued policy focus on issues he consistently raised suggests that his agenda remains central to Bihar’s evolving political discourse. Whether these measures translate into tangible improvements on the ground—and who ultimately receives political credit—will likely shape Bihar’s electoral narrative in the coming months.
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