‘Rs 14,000cr from World Bank funds diverted for Bihar polls’: Jan Suraaj’s explosive charge

Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party on Sunday levelled a serious allegation that the Bihar government diverted World Bank–linked funds and rushed them to women beneficiaries just before the Assembly elections.

Party spokesperson Pavan Verma claimed that a major portion of a ₹21,000-crore World Bank–supported project was reallocated to finance the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana payouts — a move he said altered the election terrain.

According to Verma, the transfers were approved barely an hour before the Model Code of Conduct came into effect.

Verma alleged that as much as ₹14,000 crore was extracted and distributed to 1.25 crore women in the state.

“Bihar’s debt stands at ₹4.06 lakh crore. The state pays ₹63 crore per day in interest. The treasury is empty. We have information — which could be wrong — that the ₹10,000 given to women was taken from the ₹21,000 crore received from the World Bank for another project,” he told ANI.

Chirag Paswan hits back: ‘Empty claims’

Union minister and LJP(RV) chief Chirag Paswan rejected the charges, questioning both the authenticity of the figures and the intention behind the accusation.

“Where do they get this data from?... Making empty claims. If you have facts, present them and the government will respond,” he told ANI.

‘People didn’t want the jungle raj to return’

Verma dismissed the notion that Prashant Kishor’s call to review the liquor ban hurt the party’s prospects. He argued the prohibition regime had already collapsed, pointing out that alcohol was available everywhere — even delivered to homes at inflated rates.

He said over two lakh people, largely from extremely backward Dalit communities, had been jailed under the prohibition law. “People are still consuming it and paying more. Would that not affect women who run households?” he said.

Despite contesting all 243 seats and running an intensive campaign, Jan Suraaj failed to win a single constituency. Verma attributed the loss to last-minute cash transfers, women-focused schemes, and voters consolidating to prevent a return of “jungle raj”.

“Nitish ji was the X factor… People of Bihar did not want the jungle raj of Lalu ji, RJD and Tejashwi to return,” he said.

The NDA swept the polls with 202 seats — its second time crossing the 200-seat mark after 2010. The Mahagathbandhan managed just 35 seats, with the RJD winning 25 and Congress 6.