Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party Loses Key Leaders to BJP Ahead of Bankipur Bypoll

The Bankipur bypoll has gained significance as it marks the electoral debut of Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founder Prashant Kishor. The party, however, suffered a setback on Wednesday when several of its key leaders, including mathematician K C Sinha, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of state party president Sanjay Saraogi.

The bypoll, scheduled for July 30, was necessitated after five-time BJP MLA and party national president Nitin Nabin was nominated to the Rajya Sabha. The contest in this urban assembly segment is between BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha, Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Rekha Gupta, and JSP’s Prashant Kishor.

Among those who crossed over to the BJP was renowned mathematician K C Sinha, who unsuccess contested last year’s Bihar Assembly polls as the JSP nominee from the Kumhrar constituency. Other JSP leaders who joined the BJP include Ritesh Ranjan alias Bittu Singh, the party’s candidate from Digha; Gopal Singh, its Maner candidate; and Braj Kishore Sinha, JSP’s Kisan Morcha district president.

The defections come as a blow to Jan Suraaj, which was founded by poll strategist Prashant Kishor in 2022. Kishor, who previously worked with several political parties including the BJP and the Congress, has positioned his party as a third alternative in Bihar politics. The Bankipur bypoll is seen as a crucial test for his political ambitions.

The BJP, on the other hand, has been consolidating its position in Bihar, and the induction of JSP leaders is part of its strategy to strengthen its base ahead of the bypoll. The party's state leadership has expressed confidence in retaining the Bankipur seat, citing its strong organisational presence in the urban constituency.

The bypoll results will be keenly watched as they may indicate the electoral viability of Prashant Kishor's fledgling party and the broader political alignments in Bihar ahead of the next assembly elections.