Tej Pratap Yadav extends support to Prashant Kishor in Bankipur by-election

Patna: In a significant political development ahead of the July 30 Bankipur Assembly by-election, Tej Pratap Yadav, National President of the Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD), has announced his party’s support for Jan Suraaj candidate Prashant Kishor.

Speaking to the media on Friday, Tej Pratap Yadav said that after internal discussions, his party had unanimously decided to back Prashant Kishor in the by-election.

“The members of our party and I have decided who to support. We are supporting Prashant Kishor,” he said.

Explaining the decision, Tej Pratap Yadav claimed that he had spoken with Prashant Kishor earlier in the day.

According to him, Kishor said that the BJP should not be allowed to win the Bankipur seat and that preventing its victory reflected the aspirations of many people.

Tej Pratap added that he agreed with this view and reiterated his support for the ongoing protests by students and youth over issues such as the alleged NEET paper leak.

He said the protests reflected widespread public dissatisfaction and argued that concerns raised by students deserved serious attention.

Tej Pratap Yadav alleged that examination paper leaks had become a recurring problem in Bihar and criticised the government over its handling of the issue.

He claimed that despite repeated instances of examination irregularities, effective action had not been taken, adding that the state’s education system was facing serious challenges.

He also criticised the condition of the healthcare system, alleging that it required significant improvement.

Referring to student demonstrations and protests at Jantar Mantar, he said the agitations highlighted public concerns over issues such as examination transparency and accountability.

Tej Pratap Yadav said that Bankipur has traditionally been considered a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold but claimed that public sentiment now favours political change.

He also referred to Veena Manvi, a leader from the Janshakti Janata Dal, saying she had been active in the constituency for nearly 15 years and enjoyed support among women voters.

According to him, after discussions within the party, the JJD decided to support Prashant Kishor in the absence of its own candidate.

The JJD had initially fielded Veena Manvi as its candidate for the Bankipur by-election.

However, her nomination was rejected during the scrutiny process.

With no candidate remaining in the contest, the party has now officially announced its support for Prashant Kishor.

The endorsement adds another dimension to the high-profile Bankipur by-election, which has drawn considerable political attention and seen active campaigning by multiple parties ahead of polling on July 30.

IANS