PATNA: In a surprise development ahead of the Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar, BJP candidate Abhishek Kumar on Friday withdrew his nomination, citing family reasons, just a day after filing his papers.
Announcing his decision at a press conference at the BJP's state headquarters in Patna, Kumar thanked the party's central and state leadership for selecting him as the candidate but declined to elaborate on the reasons behind his sudden withdrawal, repeatedly avoiding questions from the media.
The withdrawal leaves the BJP with little time to finalise a replacement, as the last date for filing nominations is July 13. The party has convened a meeting of senior state leaders to discuss a new candidate, whose name will be sent to the central leadership for approval.
The Bankipur seat fell vacant after sitting MLA and BJP national president Nitin Nabin was elected to the Rajya Sabha.
According to party sources, Abhishek Kumar was Nitin Nabin's preferred choice for the constituency, having worked closely with him during Nabin's tenure as an MLA and as a minister in the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government. Both Kumar and Nabin belong to the Kayastha community.
The by-election is shaping up to be a closely watched contest. The RJD has fielded Rekha Gupta, while Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor is also in the fray.
Prashant Kishor recently received the backing of veteran Bollywood actor and Trinamool Congress MP Shatrughan Sinha, a former MP from the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency. Political observers believe Sinha's support has provided a boost to Kishor's campaign in the high-profile by-poll.