By RAJESHWAR JAISWAL
Political commentator Rajeshwar Jaiswal questions the BJP’s candidate selection in the Bankipur Assembly bypoll, arguing the episode raises concerns about the party’s leadership pipeline in Bihar.
Patna, July 12, 2026 — The Bharatiya Janata Party’s handling of the upcoming Bankipur Assembly bypoll has come under criticism after a change in its candidate triggered questions about the party’s leadership strategy in Bihar.
The bypoll was necessitated after senior BJP leader Nitin Nabin vacated the Bankipur Assembly seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha. Nabin is also president of the BJP.
The BJP’s choice of candidates has become a subject of national discussion, particularly after the party’s first nominee, Abhishek Sinha, withdrew from the contest, citing personal reasons.
The withdrawal has been linked in political circles to allegations concerning the fodder scam and his family background, although no official reason has been publicly confirmed by the BJP. The party subsequently fielded Neeraj Sinha as its candidate.
The BJP, despite having a large pool of experienced leaders, professionals and public figures in Bihar, couldn’t present its strongest face for the prestigious Bankipur constituency.
The bypoll has become a high-stakes battle after Jan Suraj founder Prashant Kishor decided to take an electoral plunge. Rekha Kumari of the RJD will make the bypoll a four-cornered contest.
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Bihar has produced several distinguished leaders and public personalities over the decades, including India’s first President Dr. Rajendra Prasad, constitutional expert Sachchidananda Sinha, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, industrialist R.K. Sinha and several prominent lawyers, academics and administrators.
The party has traditionally been associated with accomplished public speakers and ideologically driven leaders, including former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and senior BJP figures such as L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.
The current candidate selection is evidently in contrast to the standards the BJP has historically projected to have followed. It would be premature to predict the outcome of the bypoll. Elections are decided by voters and not by pre-election speculation.
However, the controversy surrounding the candidate selection has raised broader questions about the BJP’s organisational strategy and political messaging in Bihar.
The BJP has not publicly indicated that the candidate change reflects any internal disagreement, and the party continues its campaign for the Bankipur bypoll.
The contest is expected to be closely watched as a test of the BJP’s organisational strength in urban Bihar and its preparedness ahead of future electoral battles in the state.
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