The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) replaced its candidate for the Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar just 24 hours after the nomination process, withdrawing Abhishek "Bunty" and naming Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its new nominee.
Bunty had filed his nomination papers on Thursday in the presence of senior NDA leaders, including Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. He later announced his withdrawal on Friday, citing "family reasons" without further elaboration.
New BJP candidate for Bankipur bypoll
Following Bunty’s exit, the BJP announced Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its candidate. Choudhary congratulated Sinha and wished him success in the election.
Sinha, a Patna resident, has been with the BJP for nearly two decades, joining as a primary member in 2006. He has held multiple organizational roles, including booth president, Mandal general secretary, and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) district vice-president. He currently serves as president of the Narendra Bharti Mandal for a second consecutive term.
His family has longstanding ties to the BJP’s ideological predecessor, the Jan Sangh. His late uncle, Narendra Bharti, was a Jan Sangh worker, and the local BJP unit was later named in his honor.
Congress criticizes last-minute change
The Congress criticized the BJP’s decision, with spokesperson Rajesh Rathore alleging the party replaced its candidate due to anticipated electoral challenges in Bankipur. The BJP has not provided further explanation beyond Bunty’s statement.
The Bankipur by-election is expected to be a closely watched contest, with major parties intensifying their campaigns in the constituency.
