One of the main curiosities about this Bihar election — voting for the first phase takes place Thursday — has a name that has newly entered conversations in this state of old and tangled challenges, across unequal and uneven political terrain: Prashant Kishor. The former poll strategist, who has worked with leaders of varied political hues, and has been described and criticised as ideology-agnostic, has moved out of the backroom, climbed on to the political stage. He has been marching and mobilising on the Bihar ground for three years, and almost exactly a year ago, launched his party, Jan Suraaj. The social media space is drenched with Kishor-isms.

Will Kishor — he is his party, even though some Jan Suraaj candidate choices have been striking — be able to convert a two-cornered contest i

See Full Page