Political strategist Prashant Kishor on Wednesday announced the launch of his political outfit Jan Suraaj Party, a much-anticipated move by which he hopes to take the political landscape in Bihar by storm and promised to remove the liquor ban if elected to power in the state.

The party was launched at Veterinary College Ground in the state capital in the presence of many renowned figures, including former Union Minister Devendra Prasad Yadav, diplomat-turned-politician Pavan Varma and ex-MP Monazir Hassan.

“Today, all of you have come to discuss about the launch of a new party, about the prospects of a new future for your children from this land of knowledge and democracy. Be patient, listen to the speakers and spread the motto of this party everywhere,” Kishor said.

The party was floated exactly two years after Kishor had embarked on a more than 3,000-km-long ‘padayatra’ of the state, from Champaran where Mahatma Gandhi had launched the first Satyagraha in the country, in a bid to mobilise the people for a “new political alternative” that could cure Bihar of its chronic backwardness.

Speaking on the occasion, Kishor said the party has been active for the past two or three years and recently received approval from the Election Commission of India.

Attacking the previous government, the I-pac founder said that earlier governments had not given proper importance to the education system in the state, adding that he called for a significant overhaul education system.  

The Jan Suraaj Party founder said that Rs 5 lakh crore will be required over the next decade to achieve a world-class education system in the state.

Emphasising the liquor ban in the state, Kishor said, “When the liquor ban will be removed, that money won’t go into the budget and will not be used for the security of leaders, nor it will be used for roads, water and electricity. That will be used only for building a new education system in Bihar. Every year, Bihar is facing a loss of Rs 20,000 crore due to the liquor ban. He suggested that this could be directed toward educational reform.”

India expressed deep concern over the fresh escalation in the Middle East following Iran’s missile attacks on Israel. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the conflict must not take a wider regional dimension while calling for restraint among parties. 

Issuing a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) underlined that the dialogue and diplomacy should be channelised to resolve all conflicting issues. The statement added that India is deeply concerned at the escalation of the security situation in West Asia and reiterates their call for restraint by all concerned and protection of civilians. 

The statement continued that it is important that the conflict doesn’t take a wider regional dimension and they urge that all issues be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy.

This statement follows a day after Iran, in an unprecedented attack on Israel, fired over 180 ballistic missiles on the Jewish nation. Reports stated that alarms sounded across Israel and explosions were heard in Jerusalem and the Jordan River valley. Furthermore, Israelis piled into bomb shelters and reporters on state television lay flat on the ground during live broadcasts.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards said that hypersonic Fattah missiles were used for the first time, and 90 per cent of them hit their targets in Israel.

Israeli Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated that most missiles were intercepted by Israel and a defensive coalition led by the US. He tweeted that Iran’s attack is a severe and dangerous escalation.

Notably, the Middle East has been witnessing a tumultuous security situation for nearly one year after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking hostage over 200 others. The attack triggered the war in Gaza, which has killed over 41,000 people.

Emphasising that a bigger loss for India than missing out on Olympic glory, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met with the sportspersons from Haryana as well as from across the country and asserted that youth are completely disappointed with the system.  

“No money, no game – this is the reality for most athletes in India today,” Gandhi said while sharing a snippet video of his interaction with the players from across the country on X.

Gandhi said he met a group of players from Haryana and across the country and listened to their problems.

“Completely disappointed with the system, struggling with lack of basic facilities like diet, rest and training, these youth are also losing hope and confidence – this is a bigger loss for India than missing out on Olympic Glory,” the Congress leader said.

The former Congress chief said India has immense talent, noting that only transparency, fairness and access to all necessary facilities will ensure that every promising player gets equal benefit.

“Unless we bring in a system that directly supports sportspersons, and puts sportspersons in charge instead of politicians in sports associations, India cannot achieve its true potential,” the Rae Bareli MP asserted.

The Congress, in a social media post on X, said: “Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi met a group of players from Haryana and across the country and listened to their problems. These youth, completely disappointed with the system, are now losing their hope and confidence.”

The grand old party added that “there is immense potential in our players, if the government supports them, they will hoist the flag of the country all over the world.”