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Bankipur Bypoll: Why Did BJP Candidate Abhishek Kumar Withdraw? Neeraj Sinha Steps In
Sneha | July 10, 2026 9:11 PM CST

Bankipur Bypoll: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has named Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its candidate for the Bankipur Assembly by-election, replacing Abhishek Kumar, who withdrew from the contest.

Abhishek Kumar, who had filed his nomination only a day earlier, submitted a letter to the BJP's state leadership announcing that he would not contest the by-election.

Why Abhishek Kumar Withdraws Nomination?

"I express my gratitude to the central and state leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party for nominating me as the NDA candidate for the Bankipur Assembly by-election. However, with due humility, I wish to state that I am unable to contest the election due to family reasons. I will continue to serve the party with dedication as a worker," Abhishek said in his statement.

The Bankipur Assembly seat fell vacant after BJP leader Nitin Navin resigned as MLA following his election to the Rajya Sabha.

Meanwhile, the BJP has also named Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate for the Datia Assembly by-election.

The last date for filing nominations for the by-elections is July 13.

Who Is Neeraj Kumar?

Neeraj Kumar Sahu, born on July 1, 1994, in Patna, Bihar, is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from the state. The son of Late Mukund Kumar and Late Saroj Devi, he resides in Mithapur B Area, near the Post Office, Patna (PIN: 800001). He is unmarried and holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree.

Neeraj joined the BJP as a primary member in 2006 and has steadily risen through the party ranks over the years. He has served as the Booth President and Mandal General Secretary of Narendra Bharti Mandal, besides holding the post of District Vice-President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). He has also been elected Mandal President twice and is currently serving as the President of Narendra Bharti Mandal.

He comes from a family with a long association with the BJP's ideological predecessor, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. His uncle, Late Narendra Bharti, was a dedicated Jana Sangh worker who passed away in 1984. In recognition of his contributions, the local BJP organisational unit was named Narendra Bharti Mandal in his honour.

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