Following their debut election defeat, the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), led by Prashant Kishor, alleged that the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government “diverted” ₹14,000 crore of a World Bank fund for the 2025 assembly elections, claiming that the money—transferred to women’s accounts under the ‘Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana’ just before voting—was “splurged” to “purchase” votes, a charge which the NDA’s Chirag Paswan later refuted, questioning the source of the data.
Key Allegations by Jan Suraaj
- Fund Diversion: JSP National President Uday Singh and spokesperson Pavan Varma claimed that ₹14,000 crore (part of a larger ₹21,000 crore World Bank fund) meant for development was taken out just before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) took effect.
- Targeted Payout: This money was allegedly used for the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, transferring ₹10,000 each to 1.25 crore women voters, a move described as “unprecedented” and designed to sway a crucial voter base.
- Impact on Results: Uday Singh asserted that the NDA’s landslide win (202 seats) would have been “decimated” had public money not been “splurged to buy out votes.”
- Financial Ethics: Pavan Varma acknowledged the information could be wrong but questioned the ethics of diverting development funds, stating that the state treasury is now “empty” (public debt is ₹4,06,000 crore).
NDA Reaction
- Chirag Paswan (Union Minister, LJP-RV) refuted the allegations, questioning the source of Jan Suraaj’s data and demanding that facts be presented.
- There was no immediate reaction from the Bihar government or other NDA leaders regarding the specific claim of World Bank fund diversion.
