PATNA, July 15 — The newly formed Jan Suraaj Party has faced a notable organizational setback following the defection of several of its core regional figures and grassroots workers to the Bharatiya Janata Party. During an official induction ceremony held at the BJP state headquarters on Wednesday, Bihar BJP president Sanjay Saraogi formally welcomed the new members into the ruling party fold. The political shift is being viewed across the state as a significant adjustment in the local balance of power, with the BJP terming the mass switchover a major validation of its ongoing expansion initiatives.
The mass defection saw a wave of prominent regional candidates change their political allegiance, including former Digha assembly aspirant Bittu Singh, former mayoral candidate Vineeta Bittu, Kumhrar representative KC Sinha, and Maner assembly candidate Gopal Singh. They were accompanied by a substantial contingent of active grassroots workers who chose to exit the Prashant Kishor-led platform simultaneously. The sudden shift comes at a critical juncture, just ahead of the highly competitive Bankipur assembly by-election scheduled for July 30, where Kishor is directly contesting against the established BJP machinery.
State leadership expressed confidence that the arrival of these public figures would accelerate their party’s reach across crucial municipal boundaries. State President Sanjay Saraogi stated that many Jan Suraaj leaders have joined the party, inspired by the BJP’s policies and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He remarked that all the new members would work to further strengthen the organization, and the BJP family welcomes them.
The departing leaders cited internal structural frustrations and a lack of clear democratic pathways as their main reasons for leaving the young political outfit. After officially completing the induction formalities, Bittu Singh said, “I will not leave the BJP now; I will live and die here.” He expressed his complete faith in the BJP’s ideology and leadership, affirming that he would work for the party with utmost dedication.
Meanwhile, taking aim at Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, Gopal Singh said, “There is no vision there. An arrogant person cannot run an organization.” He described the BJP as a strong organization and pledged to work towards strengthening it with full commitment.
The high-stakes by-poll in Bankipur was necessitated after veteran four-term legislator Nitin Nabin vacated the seat to serve in the Rajya Sabha. Political analysts note that the mass exit of organizers could disrupt Jan Suraaj’s localized campaigning framework, especially as the party aims to challenge the historic winning streak maintained by the BJP in that particular pocket.
