New Delhi: Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj did not win a single seat in the recently concluded Bihar assembly elections, but it shaped the contest far more than its final tally indicates. It secured 3.3 percent of the votes, with 236 of its 238 candidates losing deposits.

In up to 34 constituencies, the Jan Suraaj polled more votes than the winning margin, altering outcomes for both alliances. The Mahagathbandhan lost 18 such seats, and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) lost 15. Six seats slipped away from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and five from the Janata Dal (United) or JD(U). However, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) bore the brunt, losing 14 such seats. This was despite the party winning the highest vote share in the state alone.

For instance, JD(U)’s Abhishek Anand won in Ch

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