The Hollow Echo of Slogans: Unmasking the Noise Around Prashant Kishore Pandey
Politics is meant to be a sacred responsibility, a duty to uplift society, provide stability, and serve people with vision. Yet, in today’s climate, it is too often reduced to theatrics, slogans, and ambitious dreams without roots in experience. Among the many figures who embody this phenomenon is Prashant Kishore Pandey.
Unlike many who aim for national visibility, Prashant Kishore Pandey’s eyes today are firmly fixed on Bihar. He is not preparing for Delhi’s corridors of power, at least not yet. His party, Jan Suraaj, is set to contest the Bihar Assembly elections, and he is aiming directly at the Chief Minister’s chair.
But beneath this ambition lies a troubling fact:
He has no political experience, no administrative grounding, and no record of governance. He has never been a legislator, never been a minister, never even held the smallest elected office of Mukhiya in a village.
His only real political engagement has been as an election strategist, a behind-the-scenes campaign agent working for multiple parties across states. He was not a leader but a manager; not a visionary but a technician of campaigns. And yet, today, he seeks the highest executive post of Bihar, one of India’s most complex states.
“Ambition without experience is like a sword in the hands of a child, shiny, dangerous, but not purposeful.” ~ Adarsh Singh
The Illusion of Gandhian Branding
One of the striking features of Prashant Kishore Pandey’s campaign is his heavy use of Gandhian imagery. His party flag, materials, and communication channels all bear the symbols of Gandhi. He projects himself as a Gandhian follower, creating the impression of moral legitimacy.
But when we dig deeper, the contradictions surface. Gandhi’s legacy was not just about symbols; it was about values lived through action. Gandhi made promises to communities, took bold stances on social evils like addiction, and championed the principle of Ahimsa. Prashant Kishore Pandey’s positions on these issues, however, expose hypocrisy rather than conviction.
Take the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Gandhi had promised non-Muslims in Pakistan(East & West) that India would always be their home. The CAA was meant to honor that promise. Yet, Prashant Kishore Pandey opposed it, standing in direct contradiction to Gandhi’s assurance.
Symbols are easy to display; principles are hard to uphold. By decorating his politics with Gandhi’s face while rejecting Gandhi’s words, Kishore reduces Gandhism to marketing.
“Carrying Gandhi on a banner is easy; carrying Gandhi in your conscience is rare.” ~ Adarsh Singh
On Nasha and the Liquor Debate
Gandhi’s stand against alcohol and intoxication is well-known. For him, alcohol was not a matter of revenue but a matter of morality and social health. Bihar, with its painful history of alcohol abuse, knows too well how liquor can devastate families.
Yet Prashant Kishore Pandey has argued for lifting the liquor ban in Bihar. Whether this position is framed as practicality or populism, it places him squarely against Gandhian thought. For a man who claims Gandhi as his inspiration, advocating for a policy that Gandhi would have opposed so strongly shows either ignorance or opportunism.
A Chief Minister must lead not only with pragmatism but with moral clarity. On this front, Kishore’s stance is not leadership, it is contradiction.
On Ahimsa and the Silence of Complicity
Non-violence was not just Gandhi’s method but his very identity. He condemned violence irrespective of who perpetrated it, always siding with humanity over politics.
But Prashant Kishore Pandey’s record shows silence in moments where courage was needed most. When West Bengal erupted in brutal post-poll violence, Kishore did not raise his voice. When Delhi burned during the 2020 riots and Hindus were targeted, he maintained his silence.
This is not the silence of wisdom. It is the silence of calculation. For a man who carries Gandhi’s image, to remain silent in the face of violence is to betray Gandhi himself.
“Silence becomes betrayal when it refuses to confront injustice.” ~ Adarsh Singh
Bihari Asmita: Words Without Backbone
Prashant Kishore Pandey often speaks of Bihari asmita, the pride and dignity of Bihar. His speeches are filled with references to the state’s identity, its need for recognition, and its demand for respect.
But has he ever defended Biharis when they were demeaned outside the state? When Bihari workers were insulted and targeted in Maharashtra under the Thackerays, where was his outrage? When discrimination was faced in Tamil Nadu under Stalin or in West Bengal under Mamata Banerjee, did he ever protest?
Asmita is not built through slogans; it is protected through courage. If a leader cannot defend his people against external insults, his talk of dignity is hollow.
From Election Agent to CM Aspirant
The starkest reality of Prashant Kishore Pandey’s political journey is this: he has never led. He has only advised.
His career has been that of an election strategist, working for leaders across the political spectrum, crafting campaigns, designing slogans, and running analytics. From Narendra Modi in 2014 to Nitish Kumar in 2015 and Mamata Banerjee later on, Kishore’s role has been that of a consultant, not a participant.
But Bihar is not a campaign. Bihar is a living, breathing state of 12 crore people with complex challenges: poverty, unemployment, migration, corruption, law and order issues, and a desperate need for development.
Managing a campaign is one thing; governing a state is quite another.
To think that a strategist can simply leap into the role of Chief Minister without ever holding any political or administrative responsibility is not ambition, it is arrogance.
“An agent of elections cannot become an architect of governance overnight.” ~ Adarsh Singh
The Politics of Noise
Prashant Kishore Pandey’s rise is fueled not by substance but by noise. His followers are sloganeers and shouters, echoing rhetoric without depth. They chant about change but have no roadmap; they speak of pride but offer no protection; they talk of governance but bring no experience.
Noise is not leadership. Slogans cannot replace policy. Shouting cannot solve Bihar’s pressing problems. Bihar needs vision, not volume.
“Noise may gather a rally, but only wisdom governs a state.” ~ Adarsh Singh
Why This Matters for Bihar’s Future
Bihar stands at a crossroads. For decades, it has struggled with underdevelopment, migration, corruption, and weak governance. It deserves a leader who can combine vision with experience, courage with conviction.
Prashant Kishore Pandey’s ambition to become Chief Minister is not backed by the skills or grounding required for the role. Bihar cannot afford to experiment with someone who has never administered even a village, let alone a state.
History teaches us that those who shout the loudest often falter the quickest when faced with the realities of governance. Bihar’s future is too precious to be risked on an untested dreamer. Arvind Kejriwal is the recent example for all of us.
The Gandhi Contrast
The contrast between Gandhi and Kishore could not be starker. Gandhi never held an official post, but his life itself was governance in action. His leadership was rooted in sacrifice, consistency, and moral clarity. He did not rely on slogans but lived principles.
Kishore, by contrast, wraps himself in Gandhian symbols while rejecting Gandhian stands. Gandhi was action without advertisement. Kishore is advertisement without action.
“Gandhi’s silence spoke louder than slogans; Kishore’s slogans are quieter than silence.” ~ Adarsh Singh
What Bihar Truly Needs
Bihar does not need another sloganeer. It needs a reformer with courage, an administrator with experience, and a leader with a heart for service.
The Chief Minister’s seat is not a training ground for amateurs. It is the crucible where vision meets responsibility, where decisions affect millions of lives. Bihar deserves someone who has lived governance, not someone experimenting with it.
The rise of Prashant Kishore Pandey reflects a dangerous trend in Indian politics, the belief that slogans, symbols, and strategies are enough to win leadership. But real leadership is built on experience, conviction, and courage.
Prashant Kishore Pandey’s supporters may shout, but their voices are hollow. His slogans may echo, but they are empty. His ambition may be high, but his grounding is absent. Bihar deserves far more than noise.
“In the end, it is not ambition that builds a state, but experience and service.” ~ Adarsh Singh
Sun Sep 14, 2025
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