- Neeraj Sinha now replaces Kumar, facing Prashant Kishor.
The Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar has witnessed a dramatic political twist after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) replaced its candidate just a day after he filed his nomination papers. Abhishek Kumar, popularly known as Bunty, withdrew from the contest citing personal and family reasons. However, the Congress has alleged that the BJP was compelled to change its nominee because of his family’s reported links to the multi-crore fodder scam.
The development has added fresh political heat to the bypoll, with the BJP quickly announcing Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its new candidate. Sinha is now set to take on Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor in a contest that is expected to draw significant attention in Bihar’s political landscape.
Abhishek Kumar Withdraws, Says Decision Is Personal
Soon after withdrawing his nomination, Abhishek Kumar wrote to BJP state president Sanjay Sarawagi, thanking the party leadership for choosing him as the NDA candidate while explaining that he could no longer remain in the race because of family circumstances.
Addressing reporters later, an emotional Kumar reiterated that his withdrawal stemmed solely from personal and family reasons, without providing further details, as per a reports.
The BJP wasted little time in naming Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its replacement candidate on Friday, ensuring there was no delay in its campaign for the crucial bypoll.
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Congress Targets BJP Over Candidate Change
The Congress was quick to question the BJP’s explanation, claiming the party withdrew Kumar’s candidature because of his family’s alleged connection to the fodder scam.
Mishra further alleged that the BJP feared defeat in the constituency and changed its candidate to minimise political damage ahead of the election.
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Fodder Scam Link And Why Bankipur Matters
According to sources, Kumar’s father, Ravindra Prasad, was among those convicted in the fodder scam case that also involved former Bihar Chief Minister and RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Ravindra Prasad, who served as the manager of Magadh Chemical Corporation, was sentenced to three years in prison. The scam involved fraudulent withdrawals of nearly Rs 139 crore, with the Central Bureau of Investigation filing three chargesheets between 2001 and 2003. After examining 575 witnesses and over 4,200 documents, the agency secured convictions against 75 individuals, including Ravindra Prasad, in 2022.
Party insiders said the BJP feared Prashant Kishor would make Kumar’s family background a key campaign issue, potentially weakening the party’s position in Bankipur. According to sources, the leadership decided to replace Kumar as a precaution before the campaign gathered momentum.
The by-election was necessitated after BJP leader Nitin Nabin vacated the Bankipur seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha. Formerly known as Patna West, the constituency has remained a BJP bastion since 1995, when Nabin’s father, Navin Kishore Sinha, first won the seat.
