BJP replaces Bankipur candidate after he files papers, says he pulled out of race

Neeraj Kumar Sinha, a 32-year-old, has been named as the new BJP candidate from Bankipur, formerly known as Patna West before the 2008 delimitation

A day after Abhishek Kumar Sinha filed his nomination for the Bankipur assembly by-elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday replaced him, saying he had opted out of the race due to “family reasons”.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Bankipur assembly by-election candidate Abhishek Kumar Sinha Bunty addressing a brief press conference on withdrawing his nomination from the race at BJP office in Patna (HT Photo/Santosh Kumar)

Neeraj Kumar Sinha, a 32-year-old, has been named as the new BJP candidate from Bankipur, formerly known as Patna West before the 2008 delimitation, which has remained a BJP bastion for more than three decades.

The party did not explain why Kumar was replaced less than 30 hours after filing his nomination papers.

On X, the Bihar BJP released a copy of Kumar’s letter thanking the party leadership for reposing faith in him before requesting permission to step away from the contest due to “family reasons”.

The state BJP also organised a hurriedly convened media briefing by Kumar. In a 90-second press conference, Kumar read out his letter to the party on withdrawing from the bypoll before being ushered away by lawmaker Sanjay Mayukh.

The bypoll was necessitated after BJP president Nitin Nabin, who has represented the seat since 2006, following the death of his father, stepped down from the assembly after his election to the Rajya Sabha.

Sinha said his elevation reflected the BJP’s commitment to grassroots workers. BJP leaders said Sinha, a graduate, joined the BJP in 2006 and began his organisational journey as booth president of the Narendra Bharti Mandal, which is named after his uncle who died in 1984. He later served as the mandal general secretary, district vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), and mandal president twice. He currently heads the Narendra Bharti Mandal.

“I could never have imagined becoming the party’s candidate. I started as a booth president, distributing voter slips. For a booth-level worker to reach this stage is unimaginable. I am grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, BJP national president Nitin Nabin and state president Sanjay Saraogi,” he said.

Asked when he would file his nomination, Neeraj said, “My party will decide that.”

Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate Rekha Kumari, who finished runner-up in the 2025 Assembly election, filed her nomination on July 9.

The last date of filing nomination for the Bankipur by-poll is July 13.

Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor is also expected to make his electoral debut in the bypoll.

The polling is scheduled for July 30 and the counting of votes will take place on August 3.

RJD state chief spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav took a swipe at the BJP. “The decision only shows how much respect the BJP has for its grassroots party workers, as he was changed within a day of his filing the much-hyped nomination.”