Patna (Bihar) [India], August 3 : As early trends from the Bankipur assembly by-election counting on Monday showed Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor leading, the ruling NDA dismissed the lead as an early trend, asserting that a single seat does not redefine the state's political landscape.
Speaking to reporters, Bihar Minister Shrawon Kumar said the NDA remains confident that the final result will be in their favour once all 31 rounds of counting are completed.
"We are not denying our claim yet... When the results are declared after 31 rounds of counting, then it will be known whether my claim was hollow or weighty... I too have contested elections and have won elections to date. I sometimes trailed in the first round, second round, and third round. That doesn't mean I was defeated. Let the public mandate come, and we will all respect whatever mandate we receive. But I can definitely say that based on the work we have done for the people of Bihar, we are still confident that the result will be in the NDA's favour," the Minister said.
Dismissing the impact of the Jan Suraaj Party on the NDA, Shrawon Kumar added, "Bihar's politics isn't established by winning one MLA. Establishing Bihar politics requires a man with a big heart. A man with a personality like Nitish Kumar is required... It will affect RJD, but what impact could it have on us?... RJD's votes are going elsewhere."
On the other hand, speaking to ANI, the Jan Suraaj Party's Bihar unit president, Manoj Bharti, expressed gratitude to the voters for "choosing change" and Prashant Kishor.
"We congratulate and also thank the people of Bankipur for choosing change, Prashant ji and Jan Suraaj. Across the lines, Prashant ji has received support. It shows there is no pocket where Jan Suraaj's voice did not reach. This is a big victory to keep democracy alive in Bihar," Bharti said.
However, the Jan Suraaj leader also levelled serious allegations against the BJP and the local administration, claiming that "silent voters" had overcome intimidation.
"In the last 2-3 elections, we have seen what the BJP can do. This time too, they tried their best. The way goondaism was displayed by people belonging to the BJP, and the administration supported them, anything could have been possible. We have got a huge amount of silent voters who have supported us," Bharti added.
Bankipur, which falls under the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, has long been considered a BJP stronghold. The seat has been represented by the BJP's incumbent National President Nitin Nabin since 2010 and, before him, by his father, Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha, making it one of the party's most established urban bastions in Bihar.
"When people start their electoral politics, they look for safe seats for themselves... I am doing the opposite because I am telling the people of Bihar that if Bihar is to change, they must vote beyond caste and religion. They must stop voting out of fear of Lalu for BJP, or fear of BJP for Lalu. To prove the point I am explaining to the people of Bihar, I am contesting from a place where votes should not be sought in the name of caste or religion..." Kishor had told ANI.
The Bankipur Assembly bypoll, considered a key political contest in Bihar, was necessitated after BJP leader Nitin Nabin vacated the seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha.