In a development that could significantly alter the electoral dynamics of Tamil Nadu and Bihar, political strategist Prashant Kishor has stepped down from his role as advisor to Tamil actor Vijay’s newly launched political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Kishor’s team confirmed that his decision was driven by an urgent strategic re-prioritisation towards the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, which he views as a watershed moment for his political mission in his home state.
The announcement and reasons behind the move
Sources close to I-PAC (Indian Political Action Committee) confirmed late Sunday night that Kishor, who was actively overseeing the initial groundwork for TVK’s organisational architecture, social media outreach, and youth mobilisation strategies, informed TVK leadership of his decision to disengage last week.
Speaking to reporters in Patna on Monday, Prashant Kishor stated:
“I have always maintained that my ultimate goal is to bring transformative governance to Bihar. With elections approaching, I need to invest my full time and commitment here.”
TVK left without key strategist
The announcement comes as a setback to TVK, launched by actor Vijay earlier this year with ambitious plans to contest all 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu in 2026. Party insiders revealed:
- Kishor was instrumental in devising TVK’s booth-level committees and micro-targeting of youth voters.
- His exit leaves a strategic vacuum, particularly in voter data analytics and campaign narrative building.
- TVK will now rework its advisory structure, with speculations of seeking alternative consultancy firms before entering electoral fray.
Why Bihar is Kishor’s priority
Prashant Kishor, a native of Buxar district, has since 2022 been running the Jan Suraaj Yatra – an outreach and public consultation campaign covering Bihar’s 38 districts, aimed at building a political platform for systemic governance reform.
| Prashant Kishor’s Political Journey Highlights |
|—|—|
| 2014 | Strategy head for Narendra Modi’s PM campaign |
| 2015 | Chief strategist for Nitish Kumar’s Mahagathbandhan win |
| 2017-19 | Vice President, JD(U); expelled after differences with Nitish Kumar |
| 2020 | Announced exit from professional consultancy; launched Jan Suraaj Yatra |
| 2022-25 | Continues state-wide padyatra; plans formal party launch before Assembly polls |
In his public interactions across Bihar, Kishor has repeatedly stated that his ultimate mission is to “free Bihar from poverty, migration, and failed governance models of traditional parties”.
Potential impact on Tamil Nadu politics
Prashant Kishor’s exit from TVK raises questions about the party’s electoral readiness:
- Loss of strategic credibility: Kishor’s association was seen as a mark of TVK’s serious political intent.
- Organisational gaps: I-PAC had begun mapping booth committees and volunteer structures. This process is now paused.
- Narrative vacuum: Without Kishor’s data-driven campaigns, TVK may need to rely more on Vijay’s personal charisma and cinema-driven mass following.
Political analyst Sumanth C Raman observed:
“TVK has lost an ace strategist before even its first election. Vijay will now need to prove his political seriousness beyond just star power.”
Prashant Kishor’s Bihar strategy: A roadmap
Kishor has outlined a three-stage approach for Bihar:
- Jan Suraaj Yatra consolidation: Completing padyatra across remaining districts by December 2025.
- Manifesto finalisation: Collating grassroots inputs into a governance blueprint.
- Formal party launch and candidate announcement in early 2026, with focus on youth, women, and non-traditional political faces.
He aims to contest the Bihar Assembly polls with a full slate of candidates and position his platform as an alternative to both Nitish Kumar’s JD(U)-BJP combine and Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD-Congress alliance.
Political reactions to Kishor’s move
JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan said:
“Prashant Kishor is a non-starter in Bihar politics. He knows electoral consultancy and speeches are different from ground-level politics.”
RJD leader Manoj Jha commented:
“Everyone has a right to contest elections. Bihar’s public will judge based on history of commitment, not speeches alone.”
Meanwhile, AIADMK spokesperson D Jayakumar remarked on TVK:
“Prashant Kishor’s exit proves TVK is not a serious party. People will see through their lack of preparation.”
Expert analysis: What this means for Kishor and TVK
Political strategist and author Nani Gopal Mahanta noted:
“Prashant Kishor knows his time is limited to establish a foothold in Bihar. TVK was a good brand association, but in electoral prioritisation, he will always choose Bihar.”
Professor Ratan Debbarma added:
“Kishor’s decision reiterates that despite his national consultancy image, his political heart beats for Bihar. For TVK, this is a major blow. Vijay now faces an uphill task of building electoral credibility on his own.”
Public reaction
Social media responses were sharply divided:
- “Good decision by PK, Bihar needs him more than TN.”
- “TVK should have known he will never commit fully with Bihar elections close.”
- “Prashant Kishor is running away from Tamil Nadu challenge.”
- “Finally he is focusing on what he promised – Bihar first.”
Next steps for TVK
Party insiders indicate TVK is:
- Exploring alternative strategy firms to replace I-PAC’s exit
- Accelerating internal cadre training programs without external dependency
- Planning a state-wide padayatra led by Vijay himself later this year to sustain political momentum
Final thoughts
Prashant Kishor’s decision to quit as political strategist for Vijay’s TVK underscores his single-minded focus on Bihar, where he seeks to build not just electoral victories but a transformative governance model. For TVK, however, his exit is a serious setback, raising questions over its preparedness to convert cinematic popularity into real electoral wins without professional strategic backing.
As Bihar heads towards a crucial Assembly election in 2026, all eyes will be on whether Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj movement can evolve from consultative activism to effective electoral force, and whether TVK can regroup swiftly to retain its early promise in Tamil Nadu politics.
Disclaimer: This news article is for informational purposes only. It includes political statements, public data, and expert analyses based on field reports. Final decisions by political parties, electoral strategies, and candidate announcements remain subject to official confirmation.
