India
oi-Gaurav Sharma
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor has registered a thumping victory in Bankipur Assembly by-polls. This was BJP’s biggest upsets in Bihar’s political history.
The Jan Suraaj leader defeated the BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha by nearly 19,000 votes, registering Jan Suraaj party’s first-ever win.
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor secured a significant victory in the Bankipur Assembly by-poll, defeating BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha by nearly 19,000 votes, marking Jan Suraaj’s first win and a major upset in Bihar politics.
Here are 5 reasons for Prashant Kishor’s victory:
1. Personal Equation:
While Kishor campaigned tirelessly in the constituency, projecting his persona as a new kind of leader, the BJP candidate couldn’t connect with the voters on a personal level.
2. Failure to Find a Successor:
The saffron party’s inability to find a suitable candidate to fill in the seat vacated by the sitting MLA Nitin Nabin who resigned for the Rajya Sabha was another reason. While Nabin had immense connect with the local populace, Neeraj Kumar Sinha was nowhere close to him in terms of reputation and reach.
3. Anti-incumbency:
Many analysts feel that the anti-incumbency sentiment against the ruling party across various local bodies in the state contributed to the defeat. Voters in the constituency were particularly dissatisfied with inconveniences caused by traffic, drainage, road construction, and other civic issues.
4. Complacency:
The victory of Kishor was also down to the complacency shown by the BJP in the race. Analysts feel that the saffron party didn’t take the contest seriously as they regarded it as a ‘BJP constituency’. The lack of enthusiasm was reflected in the turnout as many BJP voters stayed away from the polls.
5. Jan Suraaj’s Credibility:
Kishor’s sheer populism and credibility as a leader who has been working tirelessly on the issues of common people for so long through the Jan Suraaj movement has eaten into the minds of the voters.
With this victory not only was the image of the saffron party as an unbeatable force in the state dealt a blow but another political entity has now emerged as a force to be reckoned with for the upcoming Assembly polls in 2020. Although a single by-election might not give an accurate picture of the mood of the nation, this win has emboldened Jan Suraaj and placed Kishor in the reckoning as a leader who can change Bihar’s political landscape.
