Patna (Bihar) [भारत]July 10 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday announced Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its candidate for the Bankipur assembly by-election in Bihar. At the same time, Ashutosh Tiwari has been made his candidate for Datia Assembly seat of Madhya Pradesh. This announcement was made after the party's originally declared Bankipur candidate Abhishek Kumar Sinha withdrew from the contest citing family reasons.
After the announcement, Bihar party president Sanjay Saraogi felicitated Neeraj Kumar Sinha at the party office in Patna. Expressing gratitude to the party leadership, Neeraj Kumar Sinha said that he is confident of achieving a decisive victory in the by-elections.
He said, "I am very happy. I am deeply grateful to the top leadership, the state president, our leader Nitin Naveen ji, as well as Amit Shah ji and Narendra Modi ji. I am grateful to all of them. I started as a booth minister; I worked as a mandal president twice and also worked as a district vice president in the Yuva Morcha. I am confident of a massive victory. Working together with all the party workers and the general public - who are going to shower their blessings on the Bankipur assembly constituency. "We will be successful. People will vote based on the work done by our leadership."
Earlier in the day, BJP leader Abhishek Kumar Sinha announced that he will not contest the Bankipur assembly bypoll, citing family reasons. Addressing reporters in Patna, Abhishek Kumar Sinha said, "...due to family reasons, I am unable to contest the assembly by-elections. I will continue to serve devotedly as a party worker."
Reading out the letter handed over to the Bihar BJP president, he said, "I have just handed over a letter to state president Sanjay Saraogi, which I am now reading in front of you. The Bharatiya Janata Party had chosen me as the NDA candidate for the by-election in Bankipur assembly constituency. For this I express my gratitude to the central and state leadership. I would like to humbly inform you that due to family reasons, I am unable to contest the assembly by-election. I will continue to serve devotedly as a party worker."
After this, BJP made Neeraj Kumar Sinha its candidate for Bankipur Assembly by-election, while declared Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate for Datia Assembly by-election in Madhya Pradesh.
On July 2, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had announced the schedule of by-elections to three assembly constituencies in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, including the high-profile seats of Bankipur, Datia and Manjalpur. The last date for filing nominations was fixed for July 13 (Monday), while the scrutiny of nomination papers was to be held on July 14 (Tuesday). Candidates will be able to withdraw their candidature till 16th July (Thursday). Voting for three assembly seats in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat will be held on July 30 (Thursday), while the counting of votes is scheduled for August 3 (Monday). (ANI)
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