HighLights
  1. BJP's Abhishek Kumar Sinha withdrew from Bankipur byelection.
  2. Candidature withdrawal due to personal and pressing family reasons.
  3. Bankipur Assembly bypoll scheduled for July 30.

Bankipur Assembly Byelection: BJP candidate Abhishek Kumar Sinha withdrew his candidature from the Bankipur Assembly byelection, scheduled to be held on July 30. Citing family reasons, he said he would not contest the high-stakes bypoll, which was necessitated after the BJP chief Nitin Nabin vacated the seat. His U-turn came just a day after he filed the nomination for the high-profile seat. Now, BJP replaced him with Neeraj Kumar Sinha.

"Due to family reasons, I am unable to contest the Assembly by-election. I will continue to serve faithfully as a party worker," he added.

"I have just handed a letter to the State President, Sanjay Saraogi, which I am now reading out before you. The Bharatiya Janata Party had selected me as the NDA candidate for the by-election in the Bankipur Assembly constituency. I express my gratitude to the central and state leadership for this. I wish to humbly inform you that, due to family reasons, I am unable to contest the Assembly by-election. I will continue to serve faithfully as a party worker."

ALSO READ: Bankipur Assembly Bypoll: Why BJP Chose Abhishek Sinha As Candidate; Caste, Other Political Calculations Explained

BJP Fields Neeraj Kumar Sinha 

Now, the BJP nominated Neeraj as its candidate in place of Abhishek, resorting a new strategy. The decision has made the Bankipur election battle even more interesting. Neeraj, a two-time BJP mandal president, is currently the District Vice President of the BJP (BJM). He is a resident of the Postal Park area of Mithapur. Unmarried, Neeraj joined the BJP in 2006. His uncle, Narendra Bharti, has been a BJP Mandal President since the Jan Sangh era.

The BJP's Central Election Committee has approved Neeraj's candidacy. Following this, BJP National General Secretary and Headquarters Incharge Arun Singh has issued a letter nominating Neeraj.

 

Big Advantage To Prashant Kishor

The development is seen as a big opportunity for the rival, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, who recently announced his candidate for the Bankipur Assembly by-poll in Bihar's capital city, Patna. If Kishor wins, it would be the first victory of the newly born party, Jan Suraaj.

ALSO READ: Prashant Kishor Or RJD? Congress Leaders Divided Over Support As Bankipur Bypoll Turns Litmus Test For Mahagathbandhan 

RJD's Candidate Makes Contest Triangular

Meanwhile, Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD fielded Rekha Kumari, making the contest triangular. On Thursday, BJP's Abhishek and RJD's Rekha filed their nomination papers for the Bankipur assembly bypoll. The last date for filing nominations is July 13. Bankipur is located in Bihar's Patna district.

Before filing his nomination papers, Abhishek, popularly known as Bunty, offered prayers at the Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir in Krishnanagar and the Siddhidatri Jwala Temple. He also sought the blessings of his parents before leaving for the nomination centre.

RJD candidate Rekha Kumari, who contested from the seat and came second in the 2025 assembly polls, also expressed confidence about her victory. "The people of Bankipur will show the mirror to the government this time around. A new history will be written in the assembly segment as the ruling party will be swept away in the elections," she told reporters after filing her papers.

(With Agencies Inputs) 


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