NEW DELHI: Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor has filed his nomination for the Bankipur assembly bypoll in Bihar, declaring movable and immovable assets worth more than Rs 96 crore, according to his election affidavit.The poll strategist-turned-politician, popularly known as PK, is contesting from the BJP stronghold that fell vacant after the resignation of the party’s national president Nitin Nabin. Kishor filed his nomination papers after leading a padyatra in Patna, on Monday.According to the affidavit, Kishor has total assets worth over Rs 96 crore, including movable assets of Rs 22.19 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 73.87 crore. His wife has total declared assets of Rs 101.93 crore, comprising movable assets worth Rs 89.51 crore and immovable assets valued at Rs 12.42 crore. The affidavit also states that Kishor has Rs 65,570 in cash, while his wife has Rs 1,95,200 in cash.It further reveals that Kishor holds a 100% controlling stake in a private company, which donated Rs 85 crore to the Jan Suraaj Party and Rs 50 lakh to the Jan Suraaj Foundation during the 2024-25 financial year.As per the nomination papers, Kishor has eight pending criminal cases against him. However, the affidavit states that he has not been convicted in any criminal case.From public health to politicsBorn in Konar village in Rohtas district, Kishor completed his schooling in Buxar. His father, Shrikant Pandey, is a physician, while his mother, Sushila Pandey, is a homemaker. Before entering politics, Kishor worked on United Nations-funded public health programmes until 2011.He entered political consulting during the 2012 Gujarat assembly elections and later co-founded Citizens for Accountable Governance (CAG) in 2013 to support Narendra Modi’s campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.Kishor is credited with campaign initiatives such as “Chai Pe Charcha”, 3D rallies, Run for Unity, and Manthan, alongside extensive social media outreach during the BJP’s successful 2014 general election campaign.The Bankipur assembly bypoll will be held on July 30, while the counting of votes is scheduled for August 3.
