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‘No candidate of calibre for Bankipur bypoll': Prashant Kishor attacks BJP, says Abhishek Sinha ‘ran away’
Kishor said it was unprecedented for a BJP candidate to withdraw, as earlier, rival party candidates used to pull out fearing the saffron party.
Jan Suraaj founder and its candidate for the Bankipur bypoll in Bihar, Prashant Kishor, said that the BJP lacks a capable candidate to field against him for the July 30 election. On Friday, Abhishek Kumar Sinha withdrew his nomination as the BJP candidate from the same seat, citing family reasons. In his place, the BJP has now nominated youth wing leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha, who is set to file his nomination on Monday.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Kishor said that a BJP candidate withdrawing his nomination is unprecedented, as earlier candidates from its rival parties used to withdraw their names out of fear of the saffron party.
Also Read | Who are BJP's surprise picks for bypolls? Candidate change in Bihar's Bankipur, new face in MP's Datia
Describing the development as a victory for the strength of democracy and the people's trust, Kishor told reporters in Patna, "The message is clear: people now want change and are finding their voice. This time, they will teach the BJP a lesson in its own bastion. The saffron party lacks a candidate of calibre."
People want to rise above caste, religion: Kishor
Kishor claimed that Abhishek Sinha's withdrawal showed that people are rising above caste and religion to respond to the cheating they faced in the last elections in November 2025.
"This is the power of democracy... As soon as people have stood up, leaving behind caste, religion, party and leader, the candidate of a party like the BJP has run away from here... The people of Bihar have been cheated in November, 2025...", he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Also Read | 'BJP is scared of Prashant Kishor': Jan Suraaj after Abhishek Kumar Sinha withdraws nomination
Kishore said that the BJP can see defeat looming in Bankipur, and that is why its candidate ran away, as people have decided to punish the saffron party.
"The BJP is known to entice or intimidate candidates of its rivals. Now its own candidate is running away. The BJP is jittery at the prospects of a defeat. They used to brag that they can win Bankipur even if they field anyone. The people have decided to punish the BJP," Kishor said, according to PTI.
"People of Bihar are clear in their view that a person like Samrat Choudhary, given his conduct, character and public image, cannot be imposed as the chief minister of Bihar. The CM can come from any community; that is not the issue. The real issue is choosing a capable and deserving person," the Jan Suraaj party founder said.
When is the bypoll and counting of votes?
Bankipur has been a BJP stronghold, as its president Nitin Nabin has won from the seat five consecutive times. The bypoll was necessitated by Nabin's election to the Rajya Sabha after being named the BJP's national president. The by-election will be held on July 30, and the result will be announced on August 3.
