Political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla tears into Nitish Kumar’s fading popularity, calls out Bihar’s freebie politics, slams Samrat Chaudhary’s lies, and urges voters to reject caste divisions for a new, aspirational Bihar.
As Bihar counts down to its Assembly elections on November 6 and 11, the air is thick with tension and anticipation. In tea shops and town squares, in dusty campaign rallies and drawing rooms of Patna, one question dominates the chatter — will Nitish Kumar’s long reign endure, or is Bihar finally ready for a new political story?
Political analyst and commentator Tehseen Poonawalla believes Bihar stands at a defining crossroad. In an exclusive conversation with Asianet Newable English’s Heena Sharma, he unpacks the mood of the state — a mood, he insists, charged with fatigue, anger, and an appetite for change.
“There’s massive anti-incumbency in Bihar”
Without hesitation, Poonawalla declares that Bihar’s political winds are shifting.
“Yes, there’s a massive anti-incumbency in Bihar. It is particularly against Nitish Ji. Nitish Ji is not popular as a chief minister. I know this will come as a surprise, but people think that Nitish Ji did some good work in the beginning of his tenure. However, his government’s a snap. There is widespread corruption in Bihar, there is widespread anger in Bihar, and there is resentment against the present government in Bihar.”
After nearly two decades of Nitish Kumar’s alternating alliances and governance experiments, Poonawalla sees a state running on political exhaustion.
Prashant Kishor’s big gamble
Bihar’s political map this year has a new entrant — Prashant Kishor and his Jan Suraaj party. Once the master strategist behind several successful national campaigns, Kishor’s own political debut has been met with equal parts curiosity and scepticism. His decision not to contest, despite three years of groundwork, has puzzled many.
Poonawalla acknowledges Kishor’s efforts but doesn’t hide his disappointment.
“I have a lot of respect for Prashant Kishor that started a political party. How many people can do it? So kudos to him… I think had he contested against Tejashwi Yadav, he may have been in some sort of difficulty… So I think this is a defensive tactic. So far, Prashant Kishor was on the front foot. This definitely has harmed the party by him not contesting.”
In Poonawalla’s view, politics is about risk and credibility — and by not taking the electoral plunge, Kishor has lost momentum at the most crucial moment.
“India needs a new narrative”
For Poonawalla, the real tragedy isn’t just Bihar’s stagnation — it’s the nation’s obsession with old political tropes.
“The right issues for people to address are employment, joblessness, growth, development. I think India needs a new narrative and new politics. We are tired of the same politics of caste, religion, um, attacking industrialists. There are bigger things that India needs to address.”
He points out that young Indians — even those in Bihar’s remotest districts — now share the same aspirations as their urban counterparts.
“The youth sitting today somewhere in a rural constituency in Bihar wants and has the same dreams as somebody sitting in Mumbai — a better life, better clothes, better health, a good family. And I think these are the issues that we need to articulate about healthcare, education, and a future roadmap. I think it is important that political parties now start talking about this. So I hope that that is the future course of action in politics.”
“Caste is a factor — but it shouldn’t define Bihar’s future”
Few states wear their caste loyalties as openly as Bihar. Yet, Poonawalla believes that narrative must evolve.
“Caste is one factor, it’s not the only factor though… everywhere, caste plays out… I’m hoping that people of Bihar, as the people of India, vote for their future and the future of their kids. For far too long, people have voted on caste, on religion… For once, vote what you’ll give to your kids.”
He offers a harsh truth about the hypocrisy of India’s political elite:
“Every politician who spreads hate — their kids go to the best universities… They make poor people fight over religion and caste. So I think we need to go beyond. We need to go to a new world… The world order is going to change with AI and quantum computers. We got to be prepared to empower our youth to deal with that.”
On education and honesty: “Samrat Chaudhary is lying — that’s the worst thing to do”
The debate over the educational backgrounds of political leaders has surfaced once again in Bihar. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary’s qualifications have become a talking point — and Poonawalla doesn’t hold back.
“It’s not about educational qualifications. In Samrat Chaudhary’s case, he’s lying, period. Tejashwi is not lying about his educational qualifications… Is education important? To an extent, yes… you must have practical knowledge and practical sense on how you’re going to develop.”
He goes on to add:
“Samrat Chaudhary has just been lying about all his educational qualifications, making up things, and buying degrees or claiming to have degrees and PhDs that don’t exist. Tejashwi is not lying. As so far as Prashant Kishor’s president is concerned, that again, I didn’t know because he comes from a family that has the most IS and IPS officers in Bihar. What we need is somebody who has a vision, irrespective of whether they have an educational qualification or no.”
For Poonawalla, credibility is non-negotiable — a value often in short supply in Bihar’s politics.
“Freebies are destroying our country”
When the conversation turns to welfare and populism, Poonawalla’s frustration is evident.
“Freebies are destroying our country. I am a welfarist. I believe welfarism is extremely important… However, the freebie culture — scooties, laptops, this, that — it’s been destroying our country.”
He argues that indiscriminate giveaways are hollowing out state finances and moral accountability.
“You and I as taxpayers are paying. And you see the highest number of immigration and HNIs are leaving India. Why? Because the taxes on us, we are bearing this, and you’re giving everybody free… You must give it to senior citizens, people who are differently abled. But you can’t be giving young women Rs 3,000 and 4,000 a month. Rs 10,000 is now being given by the BJP. This is our money. You’re just giving people freebie.This cannot happen. This has to stop at some point.You can’t give people freebies.”
Poonawalla illustrates his argument with raw arithmetic:
“In the case of Bihar, approximately the budget is Rs 325,000 crore… Rs 125,000 crore is salaries. Now another Rs 125,000 to 130,000 crores will go in these freebies… What money is left for development? You must create new assets… You must create new assets so that that value of those assets go up and people can get jobs based on those assets and improve their livelihood. We must give people dignity, not freebies.”
“People don’t even know their MLA — and that’s dangerous”
Poonawalla’s criticism isn’t just directed at politicians. He turns the mirror towards voters themselves.
“Youngsters today, people today don’t know who their MLA are, they don’t know who their MP is… It is so important to know your candidate because you can hold your candidate accountable.”
He warns that personality-driven politics is eroding democratic depth.
“Slowly and slowly, we are becoming a cult-driven or personality-driven political system, not a grassroots-driven political system, and that is the reason why nepotism is thriving in India, thriving. You look at all across India… you have only nepotism thriving… When will the actual meritocratic person get his or her due?”
The roadmap for Bihar: “Cut bureaucracy by 50%, focus on services”
Pressed on what Bihar needs most, Poonawalla’s vision is blunt and technocratic.
“One, cut down the bureaucracy by 50%, first. Number two, immediately focus on the service industry. The service industry will create jobs in Bihar. Number three, Bihar’s integration is important to the rest of the world… because Bihar offers a unique human resource talent, which is very, very hardworking. That talent must be used correctly by the government for the development of Bihar, thereby enabling those Bihar citizens to stay in their state and help the state progress. These are the three key factors that we need to focus on immediately in the short term.”
For him, the solution lies not in short-term populism, but structural reform and dignity-driven employment.
“It’s a close fight — but I’m hoping for RJD-Congress”
As the conversation draws to a close, Poonawalla refuses to predict a clear winner — though his sympathies are evident.
“It’s a close fight. It’s a very close fight. And whoever holds their nerves will… I would hope it’s RJD Congress… I am hoping they will, but it’s a very close one. If you analyze the situation and the aspirations of the people of Bihar, it should not be Nitish Ji at all and the BJP, because they’ve been in government. But the thing is that the BJP is such a good fighting machine even in hopeless situations, we’ve seen that in Haryana, Maharashtra, they turned it around. So, nothing is over till it’s over. It’s like a good cricket match.”
On Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj experiment, his forecast is sobering.
“Prashant Kishor will, in my opinion, get less than 10% vote and he will not get… less than 10 seats, in my opinion… For democracy, it’s good, and I have to congratulate Prashant Kishor for the, for what he’s done. He’s not a nepo kid, he’s a hardworking person. He’s taken risks. I mean, as a political analyst, I love what he’s done. Can that translate? I don’t think it is translating right now, but there is an applaud for it. He’s done something good. He’s tried to do something for the people of Bihar. Let’s hope it works.But my analysis when I was on ground seems that he’s not crossing 10 seats.
As Bihar heads into yet another crucial election, Tehseen Poonawalla’s words cut through political choreography. His call is simple — less rhetoric, more responsibility. Beneath the cynicism, he still believes in the promise of Indian democracy and in Bihar’s ability to rise beyond its stereotypes.