Bettiah/Patna: The troubles for Jan Suraaj, which has announced candidates for over 116 seats, intensified on Tuesday as the nomination of its Valmiki Nagar candidate, Dirgh Narayan Prasad (hailing from the Tharu tribal community), was rejected due to “technical reasons.” This cancellation, announced by District Election Officer cum District Magistrate Dharmendra Kumar after the scrutiny process in West Champaran, marks the fourth major setback for the party.
High-Profile Withdrawals Spur Allegations
The nomination rejection follows a series of dramatic withdrawals that Prashant Kishor has classified as political sabotage:
- Gopalganj Sadar: On Monday, 76-year-old senior physician Dr. Shashi Shekhar Sinha, a popular candidate known for his long public service, abruptly withdrew his nomination, citing “health reasons.” His decision surprised political observers, as he was reportedly confident of victory just days earlier.
- Brahmapur (Buxar): Dr. Satyaprakash Tiwari, a Patna-based hospital owner, successfully filed his nomination only to withdraw it shortly afterward.
- Danapur (Patna): Akhilesh Kumar (alias Mutur Shah) failed to appear on the last day of nominations, becoming unreachable for several hours. His failure to file meant the seat remained uncontested by Jan Suraaj.
In a fiery press conference on Tuesday, Prashant Kishor escalated the political temperature by leveling direct and startling allegations against senior BJP leadership, accusing them of “horse-trading” and pressuring his candidates.Kishor claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were personally involved in ensuring the withdrawals.
The series of administrative setbacks and high-profile defections places significant pressure on Jan Suraaj’s already difficult electoral debut.
