PATNA: Jan Suraaj Party founder and Bankipur MLA Prashant Kishor on Saturday clarified that senior Bihar government officials did not meet him out of “fear” or because of his “aura”, saying their interaction was a result of their graciousness and willingness to address constituency related issues.
“I want to make it clear through the media that the senior government officials who met us did not do so out of any fear or because of my stature. It is their graciousness. They gave us their time, and that reflects their graciousness,” Kishor said.
His remarks came amid a controversy over a photograph showing him alongside Bihar Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, Director General of Police Vinay Kumar and other senior officials following his meeting with the chief secretary on Thursday.
The chief secretary’s office on Friday clarified that Kishor had sought an appointment through a letter dated August 20 and was given time on August 27. It said that while another meeting involving several senior officers was underway in the chief secretary’s chamber, Amrit subsequently met Kishor in the visitors’ room, where some officers were already present.
The office also said meetings with elected representatives have traditionally been held in the visitors’ room. Kishor, who took the oath as Bankipur MLA on August 17, said he had raised issues concerning his constituency, including traffic, civic problems and welfare-related matters. His meeting with the DGP on August 18 had focused on Patna’s traffic problems, alleged illegal collections from street vendors and drug abuse.
Kishor won the July 30 Bankipur by-poll with 64,151 votes, defeating BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha and ending the BJP’s nearly three-decade hold over the constituency.