Patna (Bihar) [India], July 1 : Bihar Rural Works Minister Ashok Choudhary has launched a scathing attack on Prashant Kishor for comments over the Lok Sabha ticket to his daughter Shambhavi Choudhary and said the Jan Suraaj Party founder will have to apologise.
In an interview with ANI, Ashok Choudhary dismissed opposition allegations that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is "tired" and said the Janata Dal-United leader works hard and has carried out an extensive "Pragati Yatra".
He stated that the state had witnessed vast development under Nitish Kumar's leadership, and the upcoming Bihar polls are crucial for further accelerating development.
Ashok Choudhary, who is JD-U general secretary, said Kishor will have to apologise for his allegations about the Lok Sabha ticket of his daughter, Shambhavi Choudhary.
"You have made an allegation against Shambhavi, but she has won with votes...just because we have worked together, and now we have differences so now you are targeting my daughter without any evidence? I will not spare him, he has to apologise. Even if it has to go to the Supreme Court...without an apology, I will not spare him. I will make sure that he says sorry publicly," Choudhary said.
Ashok Choudhary has filed a defamation case against Kishor for his allegations that the JD-U leader had paid Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) to obtain the Samastipur Lok Sabha ticket for his daughter Shambhavi, who, at 25, won the seat in the 2024 general elections and became one of the youngest MPs.
Demanding evidence from Kishor to substantiate his allegations, Ashok Choudhary stated that he plans to be a role model for the Dalit community and demonstrate that he is not intimidated by anyone making such "false allegations."
"If I have to say something against somebody, if I am a public figure then I should have evidence...Prashant Kishor raised the allegations in a press conference...why only Shambhavi, why only Ashok Choudhary has been targeted? The 20 per cent (Dalit) population is looking at us. I am a PhD. I can't be scared of Prashant Kishor. I want to become a role model for the people that they shouldn't be scared," the Bihar minister said.
He claimed that Prashant Kishor is not a leader and has worked for different parties in elections.
"In 2014, he used to be with Modiji in Gujarat, later with Nitish, Mamata (Banerjee)...everywhere his shop got shut... he is not a leader, basically he is a dealer, there is a difference," Choudhary said.
He also made light of Kishor's election strategy during the Bihar polls of 2015, saying if Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad are together or Nitish Kumar or the BJP are together, there are good prospects of forming the government. Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad had joined hands in the 2015 Bihar polls.
"Prashant Kishor cannot play a role in Bihar politics," he said.
Earlier on June 28, Shambhavi Choudhary also attacked the Jan Suraaj party founder for his comments, claiming that Kishor is targeting a Dalit woman and showing his "feudal mindset."
In an interview with ANI, she described Kishor's comments as a personal attack and stated that the allegations revealed his "arrogance and ego."
"First of all, I don't think Prashant Kishor is worth the time ... should spend on. Yes, I do feel it was a personal attack. I come from a political family, and I'm a third-generation politician. One thing I've learned over the years is that politics is a fight between ideologies and not between individuals. Personal attacks should always be avoided. Politics is not a fight between individuals, we fight for the people and for our ideology," she said.
Answering a query on the opposition's "tired" jibes at Nitish Kumar, Ashok Choudhary said there is no basis for their remarks.
"Don't know why people are saying this. Nitish Kumar has completed Pragati Yatra and is moving every day to see the projects being implemented...I can say that I am 20 years younger than him, but I cannot work as much as Nitishji," he said.
Ashok Choudhary referred to the work done by the NDA government in the state for electrification, expanding the road network, and increasing investments in the state, and said that Bihar will continue to march in the direction of economic prosperity if the NDA returns to power in the state.
Bihar will go to the polls later this year.