In a surprise move, the BJP's candidate for the Bankipur Assembly bypoll in Bihar, Abhishek Kumar Sinha, withdrew from the contest on Friday, just a day after filing his nomination. The party later named Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its new candidate.
Abhishek Kumar Sinha, popularly known as Bunty, cited "family reasons" for withdrawing his candidature. However, the sudden decision has sparked speculation that the BJP acted to pre-empt Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor from raising the fodder scam during the campaign.
According to media reports, Abhishek's father, Ravindra Prasad, was among those convicted in the fodder scam case alongside former Bihar chief minister and RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav.
BJP sources told PTI that the party feared Kishor could put it on the defensive if he highlighted the candidate's family background during the election campaign.
In 2022, a CBI court convicted 72 people, including Lalu Prasad Yadav and Ravindra Prasad, in the fodder scam case. Ravindra Prasad, who was the manager of Magadh Chemical Corporation during the period of the scam, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.
Reports also claimed that the BJP decided to replace its candidate after learning that Prashant Kishor had obtained all documents related to the case and intended to make it a key election issue.
The bypoll was necessitated after the Bankipur seat fell vacant following BJP leader Nitin Nabin's election to the Rajya Sabha.
Abhishek, the vice-president of the BJYM's Bihar unit, had filed his nomination on Thursday in the presence of senior NDA leaders, including JD(U) state president Umesh Kushwaha, LJP (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary, BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Announcing his withdrawal on Friday, Abhishek told reporters, "Because of family reasons, I am unable to contest the bypoll. But I will continue to work for the party as a committed worker. I have conveyed the same to state president Sanjay Saraogi."
Minutes later, the BJP announced Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its candidate. Neeraj is the nephew of the late Narendra Bharti Mandal, a prominent local leader of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh.
Although Bankipur has long been considered a BJP stronghold, the bypoll is expected to witness a keen contest with Prashant Kishor entering the electoral fray.
