Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Tuesday accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan of intimidating Jan Suraaj candidates and forcing them to withdraw their nominations from key constituencies across Bihar.
“The BJP has always claimed that no matter who wins, they will form the government. But this time, it is Jan Suraaj that has shaken their confidence,” Kishor said at a press conference held at Shekhpura House in Patna.
Kishor alleged that in Danapur, the BJP detained Jan Suraaj candidate Akhilesh Kumar alias Mutur Shah and prevented him from filing his nomination papers.
He claimed that Shah was “kept the entire day” with senior BJP leaders, including the Union Home Minister himself and the state election in-charge.
“People were told he was held hostage by RJD goons, but in reality, he was sitting with the Home Minister of India,” Kishor said.
“The Election Commission must take note of this. How can the Home Minister keep an opposing candidate by his side to stop him from filing papers? This is the real face and conduct of the BJP.”
Kishor further accused Dharmendra Pradhan of playing a “key role” in coercing at least three Jan Suraaj candidates to withdraw their nominations.
He released a photograph purportedly showing Pradhan with Dr Satya Prakash Tiwari, Jan Suraaj’s candidate from Brahampur.
“In Brahampur, where a muscleman from the LJP is contesting, our candidate Dr Tiwari, a respected doctor who runs a major hospital in Patna, suddenly withdrew after three days of campaigning. The picture of him with Dharmendra Pradhan at his home is proof of the pressure exerted on him,” Kishor said.
“It is unprecedented that a Union Minister meets an opposing candidate after elections are declared.”
He also alleged that in Gopalganj, BJP leaders pressured Dr Shashi Shekhar Sinha, the Jan Suraaj candidate and son-in-law of local leader Raghunath Pandey, to withdraw his nomination.
“Till two days ago, he was campaigning actively. He even called me saying he was being pressured but would stay with the party. Two hours later, he withdrew his nomination and switched off his phone,” Kishor said.
Kishor claimed that Prof K. C. Sinha, the Jan Suraaj candidate from Kumhrar, was being “threatened repeatedly” to withdraw but “refused to yield.”
He also alleged that in Valmikinagar, local officials intimidated Dr Narayan Prasad, a schoolteacher-turned-candidate who resigned two years ago to join Jan Suraaj, by falsely claiming that his resignation had not been accepted and he was therefore ineligible to contest.
Kishor said that 14 Jan Suraaj candidates had faced intimidation and threats, though 240 others remained firm.
Questioning the Election Commission’s silence, Kishor asked: “If you cannot ensure the safety of candidates, how will you protect voters? If candidates can be threatened into withdrawing, what will stop parties from terrorising voters on polling day?”
“We salute those who stood strong. They can threaten and pressure us, but we will fight back,” he said.
The post “Amit Shah sat with our candidate to stop his nomination”: Prashant Kishor accuses Shah of intimidating his candidates in Bihar appeared first on Maktoob media.
