Prashant Kishor
| |
| Prashant Kishor | |
| Born | 20 March 1977 (age 48) Konar village, Sasaram, Rohtas district, Bihar, India |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Engineering (Public Health background) |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Politician, Political Strategist |
| Years active | 2011 – Present |
| Known for | Political campaign strategy and election management |
| Notable works | Citizens for Accountable Governance (CAG), Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), Jan Suraaj |
| Awards | |
| Spouse(s) | Jahnavi Das |
| Parents | Shrikant Pandey, Sushila Pandey |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Website | jansuraaj.org |
Prashant Kishor is an Indian politician, public policy expert, and former political strategist. He is best known for designing and managing successful election campaigns for several major political parties across India, including the BJP, JD(U), INC, AAP, YSRCP, TMC, and DMK.
After his creative campaign helped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) win the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Kishor became well-known across the country.
He is the founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, a political party in Bihar that advocates for open government and citizen involvement.
Early Life & Education
Prashant Kishor was born on 20 March 1977 in Konar village, Sasaram, Bihar, India. His father, Dr. Shrikant Pandey and his mother, Sushila Pandey. He finished his education in Buxar, Bihar. Kishor spent eight years working in UN-funded public health initiatives prior to entering politics.
Career
Kishor started his career as a public health expert before joining Indian politics. During the 2012 Gujarat Assembly Election, he worked on Narendra Modi's first significant political project. Later, he gained notoriety for founding Citizens for Accountable Governance (CAG), which contributed to the BJP's victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.
He then worked with various political parties, including:
- JD(U) – Helped Nitish Kumar win the 2015 Bihar elections.
- INC – Worked for the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
- AAP – Helped Arvind Kejriwal win the 2020 Delhi election.
- YSRCP – Supported Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in the 2019 Andhra Pradesh elections.
- TMC – Managed Mamata Banerjee’s 2021 West Bengal campaign.
- DMK – Assisted M.K. Stalin in the 2021 Tamil Nadu elections.
Prior to becoming Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's advisor for planning and program execution, he was also the Vice-President of the Janata Dal (United).
Notable Works
- Founder of Citizens for Accountable Governance (CAG)
- Founder of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC)
- Founder and leader of Jan Suraaj Movement
Achievements and Recognition
Prashant Kishor is widely credited with modernizing political campaigning in India. His innovative and technologically advanced concepts, like Chai Pe Charcha, 3D rallies, and Run for Unity, revolutionized election marketing in India. Kishor assisted several political parties in winning important elections across the nation with his data-driven tactics and creative outreach techniques.
Jan Suraaj
In 2021, Kishor started the Jan Suraaj Movement in Bihar after leaving his position as a political consultant. He started a 3,000-kilometer "Padyatra" across Bihar in 2022 in an effort to meet people.
He formally declared the Jan Suraaj Party's intention to run in the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly Election on October 2, 2024.