Overview
- Nomination papers closed with Prashant Kishor (Jan Suraaj), Neeraj Kumar Sinha (BJP) and Rekha Kumari (RJD) confirmed in the July 30 Bankipur bypoll after filings on July 13.
- Kishor formally entered the race on July 13 and has framed the election as a ‘referendum’ on the NDA government and on Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary’s leadership.
- Kishor’s election affidavit, released with his nomination, shows about Rs 96.06 crore in his declared assets, about Rs 101.93 crore for his wife, and lists eight pending criminal cases against him.
- A Janshakti Janata Dal nominee was arrested after filing on an old forgery warrant and was later disqualified at scrutiny for lacking the required proposers’ signatures, narrowing the field.
- On July 15 several senior Jan Suraaj leaders formally joined the BJP, a shift party officials say weakens Kishor’s ground organisation and could affect turnout and mobilisation ahead of polling on July 30 and counting on August 3.