Triangular contest in Bihar bypolls after Prashant Kishor’s entry

Patna, Oct 15 (IANS) The announcement of by-elections for four assembly constituencies in Bihar - Belaganj, Imamganj, Tarari, and Ramgarh - has intensified political activity in the state.

Unlike previous elections, this by-election promises to be more competitive due to the entry of Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj, making it a triangular contest alongside the traditional competition between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan). It would be interesting whether Prashant Kishor becomes the main challenger or ends up cutting votes of NDA or the Grand Alliance candidates.

The Election Commission's schedule sets November 13 for polling and November 23 for vote counting.

Political parties have ramped up their preparations, with meetings and candidate selection discussions already underway. For instance, the BJP held a high-level meeting in Delhi to strategise and select candidates for the bypolls. The BJP is gearing up to contest the election on the foundation of good governance and employment, with the work of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the achievements of Nitish Kumar being highlighted in their campaign.

BJP's Bihar spokesperson, Arvind Kumar Singh, stated: "Our workers remain engaged in election preparations throughout the year. We will approach the by-elections with confidence, based on the developmental work and employment generation efforts under the leadership of Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar."

With the addition of Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj, the upcoming bypolls are expected to be a closely contested race, giving insight into the state's political climate ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Political parties from both alliances are currently fine-tuning their strategies to secure victory in these important by-elections.

The upcoming by-elections in Bihar have generated significant political momentum, particularly in the four assembly constituencies. With multiple parties contesting, including the RJD, BJP, JDU, CPI(ML), and Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj, the elections are set to be a fierce competition.

RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari expressed confidence, stating: “The Grand Alliance will contest all four seats on the strength of Tejashwi Yadav's leadership. RJD aims to defeat the NDA by focusing on the popularity of Tejashwi's work and leadership.”

Among the four constituencies, the Ramgarh assembly seat is receiving particular attention. RJD is expected to field Ajit Singh, the younger son of the party’s state president Jagadanand Singh, while BJP may nominate Ashok Singh. Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj is also likely to enter the fray, with Anand Singh as their potential candidate for Ramgarh.

In Tarari, the seat vacated by Sudama Prasad of CPI(ML), strong contenders are emerging. CPI(ML) may field Raju Yadav as their candidate. On the BJP side, speculation suggests that Sunil Pandey's son could be chosen to represent the party after the Pandey family's recent induction into the BJP. Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor is reportedly preparing to nominate Anand Mishra, who has been actively touring the constituency.

Belaganj and Imamganj are also drawing political strategies from both alliances, with party meetings underway to finalise candidates.

Nikhil Anand, the national general secretary of BJP’s OBC wing, mentioned that the NDA is in the process of discussing candidate names, and a final decision will be made by senior leaders in the coming days.

The upcoming by-elections for the Imamganj and Belaganj seats in Bihar are shaping up to be highly competitive, with significant political manoeuvring from all parties.

The Imamganj seat, a stronghold of the Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular (HAMS), has been vacated following Jitan Ram Manjhi's election as an MP. Manjhi has a long history of work in the region, and his party is considering fielding Deepa Manjhi, the wife of Bihar government minister Santosh Kumar Suman, to maintain the party’s influence in the area.

On the other hand, the RJD is eyeing the seat as well, with potential candidates like Kshamta Devi, daughter of Bhagwati Devi, being discussed. She would add significant political weight to the RJD's chances in Imamganj.

For the Belaganj seat, vacated by Surendra Prasad Yadav after his election to the Lok Sabha, RJD sees it as a key constituency, as it has been a stronghold for the party. However, JD(U) is looking to capitalise on the vacancy. Surendra Prasad Yadav's son Baidyanath Yadav could be the RJD candidate from this seat while former MP Arun Kumar is making efforts to get the ticket of JD(U).

Prashant Kishor, leader of the Jan Suraaj, is positioning his party as a formidable third option, aiming to disrupt the traditional two-party dominance of the NDA and the Grand Alliance. Kishor has made bold claims, stating that he plans to defeat both alliances in these by-elections, presenting the contest as a key test for his party’s influence ahead of the 2025 state elections.