‘Murder of Democracy’: Prashant Kishor Alleges BJP Held Jan Suraaj Candidates Hostage
Kishor alleges BJP leaders used intimidation to block candidates in Danapur, Brahmpur, and Gopalganj.
Prashant Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraaj Party and former political strategist, has alleged that three of his party’s candidates were forced to withdraw their nominations due to pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Kishor said the candidates who withdrew were contesting from Danapur, Brahmpur, and Gopalganj.
He accused Union Ministers Amit Shah and Dharmendra Pradhan of intimidating and pressuring the opposition candidates. According to Kishor, the Jan Suraaj candidate from Danapur, Akhilesh Kumar, was stopped and prevented from filing his nomination by Amit Shah himself.
Kishor claimed the BJP was trying to replicate the “Surat model” in Bihar—referring to an incident from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where opposition candidates allegedly withdrew under pressure after the Congress candidate was disqualified.
He urged the Election Commission to ensure the safety of opposition candidates, stating, “If candidates are not safe, how can voters cast their votes freely without fear or influence?”
Kishor added that Jan Suraaj will continue its fight against the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) until they are defeated.
As of now, the BJP has not responded to these allegations.
The Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases, on November 6 and 11. Results will be declared on November 14. Candidates have until October 23 to withdraw their nominations.
