Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founder and poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor on Tuesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of coercing three of his party’s candidates into withdrawing their nominations ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.
Kishor Alleges BJP Pressure Tactics
Addressing a press conference in Patna, Kishor alleged that the BJP was using intimidation tactics due to its “fear of losing ground” in the upcoming elections. He claimed that BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, detained Jan Suraaj candidate Mutur Shah in Danapur for an entire day to prevent him from filing his nomination.
Kishor said, “Three of our candidates—Mutur Shah (Danapur), Satya Prakash Tiwari (Brahampur), and Shashi Shekhar Sinha (Gopalganj)—were forced to withdraw under BJP’s pressure. The top BJP leadership is misusing its power to block clean, independent candidates.”
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‘Democracy Being Murdered’, Says Kishor
Condemning the alleged interference, Kishor said, “This is a direct attack on democracy. The Home Minister himself is intimidating candidates. Where is the Election Commission?”
He announced that Jan Suraaj will formally approach the Election Commission with a complaint against the BJP.
Comparison With Surat Model
Kishor compared the situation to the “Surat model,” where BJP candidates were elected unopposed after rivals withdrew under pressure. “The BJP is trying to replicate that in Bihar. But voters had already punished them for such tactics in the Lok Sabha elections,” he added.
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‘NDA Fears Honest Candidates’
Kishor asserted that the BJP and NDA were not afraid of the Mahagathbandhan, which includes “bahubalis and sand mafias,” but feared honest professionals contesting under Jan Suraaj.
“They are scared of good people—doctors, traders, educationists, and social workers—who have clean records and public trust,” he said.
With three candidates withdrawn, Jan Suraaj will now contest 240 out of 243 assembly seats in Bihar. The Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, and results will be declared on November 14.
The BJP and NDA have not yet responded to the allegations.
