Last-Minute Political Shift: Jan Suraaj Candidate Sanjay Singh Joins BJP Before Bihar Assembly Elections

Jan Suraaj candidate from Munger has severed ties with his party and joined the BJP just before the first phase of voting.

On the eve of the initial polling phase in Bihar's Assembly elections scheduled for Thursday, the Jan Suraaj candidate representing Munger Assembly constituency abandoned his party affiliation and transitioned to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Sanjay Singh, the nominee from the emerging political entity, officially joined the BJP on Wednesday.

He formally accepted BJP membership while in the presence of Kumar Pranay, the party's Munger candidate, and declared his support for the NDA coalition.

His unexpected withdrawal from the electoral contest and transition to a competing party introduces a significant shift in what was previously anticipated as a three-way race. The electoral competition for Munger now stands exclusively between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan led by RJD-Congress.

Following his induction into the BJP, Sanjay Singh informed media representatives that he believes Bihar will achieve greater prosperity under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership.

When asked about Jan Suraaj, he acknowledged that while the new party's vision was commendable and resonated with the public, implementing genuine transformation requires strong and substantial leadership, which he suggested the former party could not provide.

"Given the present political climate and circumstances, I am offering my support to ensure NDA's success. I will contribute to their victory efforts, and I am certain they will prevail by a substantial vote margin," he stated.

With his party switch, the electoral dynamics in Munger have been completely transformed. Local residents indicate that while the contest was previously three-sided, after the Jan Suraj candidate joined the BJP, the NDA and Grand Alliance are now engaged in a direct confrontation.

This development represents a significant setback for Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj, which is finding it challenging to maintain its candidate roster ahead of the elections. Earlier in October, three Jan Suraj candidates withdrew from the race, representing Danapur, Brahmapur, and Gopalganj constituencies.

The unexpected defection, occurring just one day before polling, will likely ignite verbal hostilities between the BJP and Jan Suraaj, with the latter expected to accuse the former of applying pressure and coercing its candidates to withdraw from the electoral contest.

Previously, the Jan Suraaj leader had accused the BJP of employing forceful tactics to prevent its candidates from participating in elections, claiming this stemmed from the established party's apprehension regarding the new organization's growing public support.

Election campaigning concluded on Tuesday for 121 Assembly constituencies across 18 districts in preparation for the first phase of Bihar's Assembly elections. Voting is scheduled to take place on Thursday.