Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), dubbed the 'X factor' in the Bihar election, failed to open its account in the 243-member assembly, despite contesting in 238 seats. Photo: PTI
Jan Suraaj alleges ₹14,000-crore World Bank funds diverted for Bihar elections
Prashant Kishor's party claims World Bank money was diverted for cash transfers to women, which ended up fuelling NDA’s sweeping win; treasury empty, they claim
Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj has levelled a major accusation at the Nitish Kumar led Bihar government that they used World Bank funds amounting to ₹14,000 crore, originally meant for development initiatives, to finance the ₹10,000 cash transfers to women, in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections.
The party argued that this constituted “a blatant misuse of public resources and an unethical bid to manipulate the electoral process,” and demanded a detailed probe. Further, party spokesperson Pavan Verma pointed out that the public debt in Bihar is currently Rs 4,06,000 crore and the interest per day is Rs 63 crore. "The treasury is empty," Verma said.
The allegations drew no immediate reaction from either the NDA leadership or the Bihar government.
'Misuse of government funds'
Speaking to reporters on Saturday (November 15), a day after the Jan Suraaj Party failed to secure a single seat in its debut election, national president Uday Singh alleged that government funds had been “diverted for doles and freebies”.
He claimed that since June, until the announcement of polls, the Nitish Kumar administration had spent ₹40,000 crore of public money to “buy” votes. According to him, even ₹14,000 crore from a World Bank loan was redirected for such handouts, marking what he described as an unprecedented scale of misuse.
Also read: Prashant Kishor calls migrant workers, youth 'X factor' in Bihar elections
Referring to the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, under which ₹10,000 was deposited into the accounts of women across the state in the run-up to the two-phase elections, he remarked: “For the first time, payments continued until the eve of polling, despite the model code of conduct. Such transfers were sufficient to influence women living on the margins.”
Several political analysts had said that this dole to women, just before the Bihar elections 2025, had played a significant role in NDA’s sweeping return to power.
According to Singh, the NDA’s victory in Bihar hinged on “splurging public money to secure votes”.
'Fear of jungle raj'
Also, he pointed out that the government raised pensions from ₹700 to ₹1,100 only after Jan Suraaj pledged ₹2,000. He also claimed that fear of a return to “jungle raj” under the RJD drove some voters away from Jan Suraaj and toward the NDA. "Many people, who would have given us a chance, ended up voting for the NDA out of that fear," added Singh, a former BJP MP.
Jan Suraaj spokesperson Pavan Verma also echoed the same allegation, claiming that the amount used in elections was diverted from a Rs 21,000-crore World Bank fund.
Verma alleged that just an hour before the model code of conduct came into effect, ₹14,000 crore was withdrawn and distributed among 1.25 crore women in the state. He questioned the ethicality of such actions, noting that while they may be legally permissible, governments often divert funds and provide explanations only after elections.
Also read: Prashant Kishor accuses BJP of forcing Jan Suraaj candidates to withdraw
With upcoming polls in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and other BJP-ruled states, he warned that promises on one side and cash transfers on the other could sway voters in different ways. He also alleged that the state treasury has now been left depleted.