"For first time candidates are being looted...": Kishor accuses BJP of pressurising Jan Suraaj candidates in Bihar polls

Patna (Bihar) [India], October 21 (ANI): Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Tuesday hit out at the BJP alleging that three party candidates had been forced to withdraw from Bihar electoral contest and while "booths used to be looted during Laluji's tenure and "results were looted" in the 2020 assembly polls, "candidates are being looted for the first time".
Prashant Kishor accused the BJP of looting candidates. He alleged that in the previous election, "at least 10-12 seats in which there was a close contest, the NDA declared the results in their favour".
"They (BJP) should tell when Shashi Shekhar Sinha was part of the BJP...He joined Jan Suraaj. There are many leaders in Jan Suraaj who came from the BJP, RJD. If he was a disciplined worker of the BJP, why did he join Jan Suraaj? What was the need for the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to sit with him when he got a ticket from Jan Suraaj and he had to file nomination papers?... Why did Union Home Minister Amit Shah meet Mutur Shah on the day he had to file nominations?... During Lalu ji's tenure booths used to be looted, in the previous elections, results were looted, at least 10-12 seats in which there was a close contest, the NDA declared the results in their favour," Kishor told ANI in an interview.
"For the first time candidates are being looted...The candidates of the other parties are being told by Union Home Minister, Union Education Minister to withdraw their candidature...Satya Prakash Tiwari filed his nomination as Jan Suraaj candidate...After this meeting, the candidate withdraws their candidature...BJP is looting the candidates," he alleged.
Kishor had said earlier that three declared candidates of Jan Suraaj "were forced to withdraw their nominations" in the last three to four days and alleged that the BJP is trying to "create an atmosphere that we're scared".
Kishor, who addressed a press conference here, said they won't relent until BJP is defeated in Bihar and NDA is uprooted. He said if anyone is feeling the most threatened in Bihar polls, "it's BJP".
"Over the past few years, the BJP has developed a reputation for forming the government regardless of who wins the election. Now, they've launched a new campaign in Bihar. The election process has begun, and if anyone is feeling the most threatened, it's the NDA's BJP... They're using the mahagathbandhan to scare the public, saying, 'Vote for us, or Lalu's jungle raj will return'... In the past four to five days, three declared Jan Suraaj candidates who filed their nominations were forced to withdraw their nominations," Kishor said.
He emphasised that Jan Suraaj won't back down and is prepared to fight the elections fiercely."We won't relent until we defeat the BJP and uproot the NDA. The results will be out on November 14 and the truth will be revealed. They're trying to create an atmosphere that we're scared. Prashant Kishor, along with his Jan Suraaj colleagues, is not afraid of anyone. Buy as many candidates as you want, threaten as many candidates as you can, and imprison as many candidates as you can in their homes. The election will be fought, and it will be fought with such force that it will leave you reeling. We are not the Mahagathbandhan," he said."
These people don't care about the Mahagathbandhan candidates...they will go and tell the public, 'these are the people of Jungle Raj. If you don't want them to come back, vote for us.' But they fear good people... They aren't afraid of corrupt politicians. This is the fear of Jan Suraaj. So many good people have been fielded that they don't have the courage to fight. Our candidates' friends and families have been pressurised so that they withdraw their nomination," Kishor alleged.
Kishor said earlier he will not contest Bihar assembly elections.Electioneering has gained momentum in the state with almost a fortnight left for the first phase of elections.
Bihar will face polls in two phases on November 6 and 11 and the results will be declared on November 14. (ANI)