The Bharatiya Janata Party has withdrawn the candidature of Abhishek Kumar, a close aide of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Nabin, from the upcoming Bankipur assembly bypoll after discovering his alleged links to the fodder scam. The decision came after the party leadership realized that a background check had not been conducted before initially clearing his name.
Background Check Oversight
The BJP had earlier announced Abhishek Kumar as its candidate for the Bankipur bypoll, scheduled for a date yet to be announced. However, senior party officials later found that Abhishek’s background verification was incomplete. According to sources within the party, the oversight was flagged during a routine review of candidate profiles.
“The background check was not done properly. When we looked into it, we found his alleged involvement in the fodder scam case,” a senior BJP leader told reporters on condition of anonymity. The leader added that the party acted swiftly to avoid any political embarrassment.
Fodder Scam Allegations
The fodder scam, which dates back to the 1990s, involves fraudulent procurement of animal fodder worth hundreds of crores of rupees from the Bihar treasury. Several politicians and bureaucrats have been convicted in the case. Abhishek Kumar is reportedly under investigation for his role in the scam, though no formal charges have been filed yet.
“We have zero tolerance for corruption. Anyone with links to such scams cannot be our candidate,” said a BJP spokesperson. The party has not yet announced a replacement candidate for the Bankipur seat.
Political Impact
Political analysts say the move could impact the BJP’s prospects in the bypoll, as Abhishek Kumar was seen as a strong contender backed by Nitin Nabin. Nabin, who is also the state BJP president, had lobbied for Abhishek’s candidacy. The bypoll was necessitated after the sitting MLA resigned following a separate corruption case.
“This decision shows the BJP’s commitment to clean politics, but it also exposes internal factionalism,” said political commentator Ravi Shankar. The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal has seized on the issue, accusing the BJP of hypocrisy. “They claim to fight corruption but initially fielded a tainted candidate,” said RJD spokesperson Manoj Jha.
Next Steps
The BJP’s central election committee is expected to meet soon to finalize a new candidate. Meanwhile, Abhishek Kumar has denied any wrongdoing, stating that he is a victim of political vendetta. “I have been falsely implicated. The party should have stood by me,” he said in a statement.
The Bankipur bypoll is being closely watched as a test of the BJP’s strength in Bihar, where it is in a coalition government with the Janata Dal (United). The opposition has demanded a thorough investigation into how Abhishek’s name was cleared without proper scrutiny.
