Patna: Launching his ‘Aabhar Yatra’ in Bankipur on Tuesday, newly elected MLA Prashant Kishor said the historic bypoll verdict had shifted Bihar’s political discourse from encounters to issues of education and employment.Referring to student protests over alleged paper leaks and unemployment, Kishor said, “Students have protested at Jantar Mantar, in Patna, and now in Jharkhand. People are frustrated with paper leaks, the collapse of the education system, and unemployment. Students are bound to take to the streets. The leaders responsible are resorting to baton charges, but this voice will not be silenced.”Kishor also announced plans to facilitate private-sector jobs for 10,000 youths within a year, promised improvements in education and welfare delivery, and said issues related to the Rs 1,100 pension and foodgrain entitlements would be addressed on priority.“Ever since the Bankipur election result came out, Bihar is no longer talking about encounters. Every day, the discussion is about education and employment. That is the power of your vote,” he said, taking a dig at CM Samrat Choudhary during meetings across the constituency.Addressing residents, Kishor said many people had been asking about his whereabouts since the election result. “I have been working on exactly that,” he said before announcing an employment initiative for local youths. “If your child is educated, submit their resume. We will ensure jobs for at least 10,000 youngsters from here,” he said, adding that he had reached out to contacts across the country to create opportunities for people from Bihar.“If any assembly constituency in Bihar gets the highest number of jobs, it will be Bankipur,” he added, expressing confidence that young people would not have to migrate outside the state for work under a future Jan Suraj-led system.On welfare delivery, Kishor promised visible improvements within three months. He said no one would have to pay bribes for ration cards and urged senior citizens not receiving the Rs 1,100 pension to approach his office.He also said ration card holders would receive their full foodgrain entitlement. “Give me three months and no one will have to pay even Re 1 as a bribe to get a ration card. Every ration card holder will receive the full five kilograms of foodgrain, not four,” he said.On education, Kishor said people’s lives would change only through better schooling and employment opportunities. He claimed that within a year either govt schools would improve significantly or children would be able to study in private schools without their families bearing the cost of fees.Kishor also linked the Bankipur verdict to recent action in the Bharat Tiwari firing case, saying an awakened electorate had forced political leaders to shift their attention towards education and employment.Kishor attended a remembrance and condolence meeting in Dashratha before holding thanksgiving programmes in Yarpur Rajputana, Jakkanpur and Langartoli as part of his Aabhar Yatra.
