Several Jan Suraaj Party leaders, including candidates who had contested last year’s Bihar assembly elections on the party’s ticket, joined the BJP on Wednesday in a setback to founder Prashant Kishor ahead of the Bankipur assembly bypoll.
Those who joined the BJP included renowned mathematician KC Sinha, Ritesh Ranjan alias Bittu Singh, Gopal Singh and Jan Suraaj’s Kisan Morcha district president Braj Kishore Sinha. The Bankipur bypoll is scheduled for July 30 and will see a contest between Kishor and BJP nominee Neeraj Kumar Sinha.
The new entrants were inducted by BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi. KC Sinha and Ritesh Ranjan had contested the last assembly elections as Jan Suraaj candidates from the adjoining Kumhrar and Digha seats respectively, while Gopal Singh had contested from Maner in the 2025 assembly polls.
Talking to reporters, Saraogi said, “Inspired by the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, there has been a rush among politicians of opposition parties across the country to join the saffron party. People from all over the country want to join it.” He said the new entrants would strengthen the party organisation.
KC Sinha said he had joined the BJP to contribute towards making India a global leader through education. “In the current situation, national interest is paramount. Amid the clouds of war hovering across the world, the hands of the central government need to be strengthened so that India’s voice can resonate globally. India had once led the world as a Vishwaguru and must regain that position, especially through excellence in education,” he said.
Ritesh Ranjan Singh apologised for joining Jan Suraaj in the “heat of the moment” and said he would remain with the BJP forever. “I just want to say that one should never act in the heat of the moment. Whatever I did, I apologise for that. ‘Jeena yahan, marna yahan, iske siwa jana kahan’,” he said, quoting a popular Hindi film song to underline his commitment to the BJP.
Calling his induction into the BJP a “homecoming”, Gopal Singh said he had worked for the party in the 1990s. “When I contested on a Jan Suraaj ticket from Maner last year, I realised there was no vision there, only hollow talk. Above all, an arrogant person can never run an organisation. That is why we have returned to our home,” he said.
The switch by these Jan Suraaj leaders to the BJP comes just ahead of the July 30 Bankipur bypoll, where Prashant Kishor is set to face BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha.
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