The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to face its first electoral test since the nationwide student agitation with the Bankipur Assembly bypoll in Bihar scheduled for Thursday, July 30.
Bihar witnessed its own wave of protests over the NEET paper leak, with demonstrations turning violent in several places, including Patna. The unrest prompted police baton charges and tear gas shelling, making the agitation and the government's response key issues in the by-election.
The developments have put the ruling BJP on the defensive in one of its traditional strongholds. The bypoll has emerged as a closely watched contest following the entry of Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, who is seeking to mount a tough challenge to the saffron party.
The bypoll was necessitated after BJP state president Nitin Nabin vacated the seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha. The party has fielded Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its candidate.
A total of 25 candidates are in the fray, with votes to be counted on August 3.
Nabin led an intensive campaign for the BJP, assuring voters that although he is now a Member of Parliament, "Bankipur shall remain my top priority." He was joined by several senior BJP leaders with roots in Bihar, including Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and local MP Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Kishor, meanwhile, has mounted an equally vigorous campaign, covering nearly every part of the constituency and urging voters to use the by-election to express their dissatisfaction with the BJP government.
The Jan Suraaj chief is hoping to capitalise on the political fallout from the recent NEET protests. In a significant move ahead of the election, the Bihar government on Monday announced that it would withdraw all cases filed against protesters over the NEET paper leak agitation and release those arrested in connection with the demonstrations.
However, the controversy has not subsided. Opposition parties have intensified their attack on the government after allegations that police personnel used an AK-47 rifle while dispersing student protesters in Siwan.
Although the bypoll is widely viewed as a direct contest between Kishor and BJP's Neeraj Kumar Sinha, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has fielded Rekha Gupta, the runner-up in the previous Assembly election from the constituency.
Gupta's campaign initially struggled to gain momentum, with most senior RJD leaders staying away from the constituency. The campaign received a boost only in the final days after RJD working president Tejashwi Yadav joined the canvassing.
Addressing supporters on Tuesday, Yadav alleged that the Bihar government's decision to withdraw cases against protesters and release those arrested reflected its "growing unpopularity" following the crackdown on student demonstrations.
"That is not enough," he said. "I continue to demand a judicial inquiry into the conduct of police personnel who allegedly fired an AK-47 rifle at protesters on July 25."
The Bankipur bypoll is being closely watched as an early indicator of the political impact of the student protests on the BJP in Bihar, months ahead of the next major electoral battles.
