Patna, Sep 20 (PTI) The BJP's Bihar unit on Saturday described Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj party as "a political startup based on fraud" and accused the former election-strategist-turned politician of raising "hundreds of crores of rupees" through "shell companies".

The saffron party's remark comes a day after Kishor questioned the academic credentials of senior BJP leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.

BJP's state media in-charge Danish Iqbal accused Kishor with indirectly helping the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan and asked "Why is his party is still receiving funds from states ruled by INDIA bloc parties which had sought his professional help during elections." "More than Rs 370 crore have come from West Bengal where he had worked for Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress in 2021 assembly polls. Besides, Kishor is getting huge funds from states like Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka," he alleged.

"Kishor is paving the way for the return of Jungal Raj in Bihar. His Jan Suraaj is a political start-up based on fraud. He is raising hundreds of crores through dozens of shell companies, in which his family members and relatives of his party's national president Udai Singh are associated. His party also collected more than Rs 50 crore from those who are interested in contesting polls in 243 assembly seats in the state", Iqbal claimed.

Kishor has been totally exposed and people will teach him a lesson in the upcoming assembly polls in the state, Iqbal said.

The Jan Suraaj Party founder on Friday wondered how Bihar deputy CM Choudhary possessed a D-Litt degree without clearing the class 10 exams.

"Choudhary, who is a master in changing his names, was accused in a murder case in 1998, but was later released as he turned out to be a minor. He also claims that he possesses a D-Litt from California University in USA. But when did he pass his class 10th exam? He did not," Kishor had claimed. PTI PKD MNB

Illicit fundraising allegations raise concerns over shell-company conduits and cross-state political funding transparency and compliance scrutiny expected. Accusations claim that the party raised substantial funds through shell companies, with funds routed from multiple states where the founder had worked, involving family members and associates and raising black money and related party transaction concerns; the allegations point to potential misuse of corporate vehicles, lack of donor transparency, and exposure to financial crime and political funding compliance scrutiny.