Prashant Kishor to back 75 EBC candidates in 2025 Bihar assembly polls

Patna: Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor on Saturday said at least 75 people belonging to the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) category will be fielded by a single platform supported by his organisation 'Jan Suraaj' in the 2025 Bihar assembly polls.

People belonging to the EBC community have always been exploited by the ruling parties in the state, Kishor claimed.

"In the Bihar assembly elections of 2025, you will see for the first time at least 75 people from the EBC category contesting the election from a single platform," he said while addressing a function organised here ahead of the birth anniversary of socialist leader Karpoori Thakur on January 24.

"We will put all our strength behind them... People belonging to this community have always been exploited by the ruling parties in the state. Political parties in Bihar never thought of their betterment and upliftment," he said on Saturday.

Kishor stopped short of announcing the transformation of Jan Suraaj, which began as a campaign in 2022, into a political party.

Kishor also said the 'Jan Suraaj' will provide all financial support to students belonging to this category in preparing for competitive examinations.

"Every year the 'Jan Suraaj' will select at least 500 EBC students, 10 to 15 from each district, for this purpose and provide them all support," Kishor said.

According to the report of caste survey conducted by Bihar's Nitish Kumar government, among the total population size of 13.07 crore, Bihar has 63 per cent of people in the Other Backward Class (OBC) and Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) categories.