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Patna, Oct 21 (IANS) Jan Suraj founder Prashant Kishor has made serious allegations against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and several other BJP leaders, accusing them of intimidating his party’s candidates into withdrawing their nominations ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.
Speaking at a press conference at Sheikhpura House in Patna on Tuesday, Kishor claimed that the withdrawal of Jan Suraj candidates from Danapur, Gopalganj and Brahmapur constituencies was a result of BJP’s fear of Jan Suraj’s growing influence.
“The BJP has developed a reputation of forming the government no matter who wins the elections. The same party that once called Jan Suraj a votekatwa is now afraid of us,” Kishor said.
He cited the case of Danapur, where local businessman Akhilesh Kumar alias Mutoor Shah had accepted the Jan Suraj ticket but failed to file his nomination.
According to Kishor, BJP leaders claimed that RJD-backed goons had taken him hostage, but in reality he was seen with Amit Shah and Dharmendra Pradhan.
“This is the move, character and face of the BJP. The Home Minister of the country himself is calling an ordinary businessman and meeting him. What can an ordinary citizen do in front of that power?” Kishore said that his party will file a complaint with the Election Commission regarding this incident.
Kishor also released a photograph of Jan Suraj candidate Satya Prakash Tiwari from Buxar’s Brahmapur with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
He alleged that Patna’s doctor Tiwari was pressurized to withdraw his nomination after meeting BJP leaders.
“It is unheard of that a Union minister meets a candidate after the election is announced. Tiwari campaigned for three days and then suddenly backed out. He was threatened to withdraw,” Kishor claimed.
Similarly, Kishor alleged that Jan Suraj’s candidate from Gopalganj, Shashi Shekhar Sinha, was also forced to withdraw after being approached by local BJP leaders.
“He called me and said he was under pressure but was determined. After two hours, he backed off and stopped responding,” the teen said.
Responding to a question, Kishor highlighted that Jan Suraj has fielded 54 candidates from extremely backward communities, the highest share given by any party so far, and 34 Muslim candidates across the state.
Many senior party leaders including state president Manoj Bharti, Subhash Singh Kushwaha, Sarwar Ali, state media in-charge Obaidur Rehman, Captain Rajiv Ranjan and Sadaf Iqbal were present during the press conference.
–IANS
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