Prashant Kishor discharged from hospital, continues with fast

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor was on Saturday discharged from a hospital in Patna following improvement in his health condition, the party said in a statement.

However, the 47-year-old former political strategist is continuing with the 'fast-unto-death' that he launched on January 2 in protest against alleged irregularities in a BPSC exam held last month.

"Prashant Kishor's 'anshan' (fast) in support of BPSC aspirants continues. He has been discharged from the hospital in the evening as his health has improved. Further details about his 'satyagraha' will be made known tomorrow," the statement said.

Notably, Kishor was admitted to the private hospital on Tuesday, a day after his arrest by the police for staging a dharna at a site in the city where such agitations are prohibited, and grant of bail by a court hours later.

He was kept in the ICU for a day, before being shifted to the general ward, even as his party colleagues urged the aspirants and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to put pressure on the young leader for calling off the fast.

Meanwhile, a seven-member delegation of the party, led by working president Manoj Bharti, called on Governor Arif Mohammad Khan at the Raj Bhavan.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Bharti said, "We submitted a memorandum to the governor who expressed concern over Prashant Kishor's prolonged fast. We told him that Kishor could be convinced to call off the fast if the chief minister agreed to talk to a delegation of aggrieved candidates."

"The governor told us that it was a doable thing and he would have a word with the chief minister, in the interest of students as well as well-being of Prashant Kishor," Bharti claimed.