Patna: Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj has levelled serious allegations against the Nitish Kumar government, claiming the state administration misused a massive ₹14,000 crore World Bank loan to bolster election campaigning ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls.
The allegations surfaced just days after the NDA’s decisive victory, triggering a fresh wave of political tension in the state.
“Funds diverted for poll propaganda”: Jan Suraaj
Addressing the media, senior Jan Suraaj functionaries said the World Bank loan — sanctioned for rural development, infrastructure strengthening, and public services — was instead “systematically funneled into government publicity machinery.”
They alleged that departments were instructed to push high-volume advertising, welfare announcements, and media promotions weeks before polling, using project funds originally meant for development programmes.
Prashant Kishor, who has been leading padyatras and public meetings across Bihar, said the scale of diversion “raises questions about governance ethics and financial accountability.”
World Bank-linked spending under scanner
The ₹14,000 crore loan is believed to be tied to multi-year development projects. Jan Suraaj claims that expenditure patterns during the pre-election phase show abnormally high spending spikes, especially in schemes directly visible to voters.
The party demanded a forensic audit, calling on the Centre and international lending agencies to investigate.
Government denies charges
The Nitish Kumar administration rejected the allegations as “baseless and politically motivated,” stating that all World Bank–linked payments are monitored through strict project guidelines.
Officials argued that expenditure timelines were pre-scheduled and not linked to the election calendar.
Storm after Bihar results
With the NDA securing a comfortable mandate, opposition voices — including Jan Suraaj — are intensifying attacks on the government. PK’s fresh allegation has added fuel to post-election political debate, with several parties demanding transparency regarding foreign-funded projects.
Analysts suggest that the issue could evolve into a larger political battle as Jan Suraaj continues to expand its influence across Bihar.
