Patna, July 10 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its official candidate for the Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar, replacing Abhishek Kumar Sinha alias Bunty, who withdrew his nomination earlier on Friday, citing family reasons.

The announcement was made through a press release issued by BJP National General Secretary and Headquarters In-charge Arun Singh, ending speculation over the party’s candidate for the high-profile contest.

According to the list released by the BJP, Neeraj Kumar Sinha will contest from the Bankipur Assembly constituency as the party’s official nominee.

The decision came shortly after Abhishek Bunty announced that he was withdrawing from the election due to personal family circumstances, despite having filed his nomination a day earlier.

Instead of choosing a high-profile public figure, the BJP has placed its trust in a long-serving organisational worker.

Neeraj Kumar Sinha has been associated with the BJP for many years and has held several organisational responsibilities.

He has served as Mandal President twice and currently serves as the President of the Narendra Bharti Mandal.

Party leaders have cited his grassroots organisational experience and strong rapport with party workers as key factors behind his selection.

According to party sources, Neeraj Kumar Sinha comes from a family with a long association with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the BJP.

His grandfather is remembered as an active Jana Sangh worker who contributed to the organisation’s growth in the region.

The Narendra Bharti Mandal is named in his honour, and Neeraj Kumar Sinha currently heads the same organisational unit.

By nominating him, the BJP appears to have emphasised the contribution of dedicated grassroots workers and long-standing organisational commitment.

The Bankipur Assembly by-election has become one of Bihar’s most closely followed political contests.

The seat fell vacant after former BJP MLA Nitin Nabin was elected to the Rajya Sabha.

The election has attracted significant political attention, with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) fielding Rekha Gupta, while other parties are also contesting the seat.

With the BJP’s announcement of Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its new nominee, the contest has entered a new phase, and campaigning by all major parties is expected to intensify in the run-up to polling.

–IANS

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