Prashant Kishor accuses Patna cop of trying to influence Bankipur bypoll

Prashant Kishor said he would approach the Election Commission in Delhi within two days with his allegations against the administration and also threatened to move the Supreme Court over the alleged irregularities.

In Short

• Kishor singles out Patna SSP for alleged interference
• Kishor plans to approach Election Commission over irregularities
• Kishor predicts heavy defeat for BJP in bypolls

Ahead of the counting of votes for the Bankipur bypoll on August 3, Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor on Sunday accused the Patna administration of attempting to influence the electoral process, alleging that people were unlawfully detained and voters intimidated.

Kishor singled out Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikey Kumar Sharma, accusing him of using his position to influence the bypoll.

Addressing a press conference, Kishor displayed a notice issued by the Patna SSP's office and brought before the media some of the people who he claimed had been detained by police.

"If the Patna SSP wants to do politics, he should quit his job and do politics," Kishor said, calling the officer "unprofessional."

He said he would approach the Election Commission in Delhi within two days with his allegations against the administration and also threatened to move the Supreme Court over the alleged irregularities.

KISHOR QUESTIONS DETENTIONS

According to Kishor, the notice issued by the SSP's office stated that people who had come from outside to campaign were detained to prevent them from creating disturbances.

Questioning the grounds for the detentions, Kishor asked how someone who was inside his house could have violated prohibitory orders.

"I want to ask the Patna SSP: How can a person sleeping inside his house violate Section 144?" he said.

Kishor also presented some of those allegedly detained before the media. Two people identified as Naval and Neha recounted their experiences during the press conference.

He further alleged that police personnel moved around Ward No. 22, threatening residents and preventing them from voting.

"The administration ran amok in this election," Kishor alleged, accusing the police of interfering with the electoral process.

KISHOR PREDICTS BJP DEFEAT

With counting for the Bankipur bypoll due on Monday, Kishor also predicted a heavy defeat for the BJP.

"The BJP will lose by such a margin that its leaders will forget their claim that they could field even a dog or a cat and still win the election," Kishor said.

The bypoll was necessitated after incumbent MLA Nitin Nabin vacated the Bankipur seat following his elevation as BJP national president and subsequent entry into the Rajya Sabha from Bihar.

More than 34 per cent of voters cast their ballots in Thursday's Bankipur bypoll, which marked Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor's electoral debut and saw the BJP fight to retain a constituency it has held since 1995.

The fate of 26 candidates, including BJP's Neeraj Kumar Sinha and RJD's Rekha Gupta, will be decided when votes are counted on August 3.

- Ends