24 hours after nomination, BJP changes Bankipur bypoll candidate

In a significant development ahead of the Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday replaced its candidate a day after the nomination process, withdrawing the candidature of Abhishek "Bunty" and naming Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its new nominee.

Abhishek Bunty had filed his nomination papers on Thursday in the presence of senior NDA leaders. Before filing his papers, he sought the blessings of his parents, and a public meeting was held after the nomination, attended by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and other alliance leaders.

However, on Friday evening, Bunty met Bihar BJP president Sanjay Saraogi and informed him of his decision to withdraw his nomination. Addressing a press conference later, he said he was stepping aside due to "family reasons" and did not elaborate further.

NEW CANDIDATE ANNOUNCED

Soon after Bunty's withdrawal, the BJP announced Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its candidate for the Bankipur bypoll. Samrat Choudhary congratulated Sinha following the announcement and extended his best wishes for the election.

A Patna resident, Sinha has been associated with the BJP for nearly two decades. He became a primary member of the party in 2006 and has held several organisational positions, including booth president, Mandal general secretary and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) district vice-president. He is currently serving his second consecutive term as president of the Narendra Bharti Mandal.

According to his profile, Sinha comes from a family with longstanding ties to the BJP's ideological predecessor. His uncle, the late Narendra Bharti, was a Jan Sangh worker, and the local BJP organisational unit was later named Narendra Bharti Mandal in his honour.

DRAWS OPPOSITION CRITICISM

The change in candidature drew criticism from the Congress. Party spokesperson Rajesh Rathore alleged that the BJP replaced its nominee because it anticipated a difficult electoral contest in the Bankipur Assembly constituency.

The BJP, however, has not issued any detailed explanation for the last-minute change beyond Bunty's statement citing family reasons. The Bankipur by-election is expected to witness a closely watched contest, with major political parties intensifying their campaign in the constituency.

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