By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has traditionally been cautious about aligning with don turned politician often avoiding direct inclusion or ticket distribution to such figures. This internal dilemma delayed the induction of former MLA Sunil Pandey into the party for the past few days. However, on Saturday, BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal officially welcomed Sunil Pandey into the party, along with his son Vishal Prashant. The induction ceremony, initially scheduled for 8:00 am, was delayed by about an hour.
Bihar is gearing up for by-elections in four assembly seats, with the Tarari and Ramgarh constituencies being crucial for the BJP. In the 2020 assembly elections, Sunil Pandey ran as an independent candidate from the Tarari seat, pushing the BJP’s candidate to third place, while Sudama Prasad of CPI ML emerged victorious.
To strengthen its position in the Tarari assembly seat, the BJP has strategized by bringing Sunil Pandey into its fold. His son Vishal Prashant has also joined the party, raising questions about who will be the BJP’s candidate for the seat. While Sunil Pandey’s don turned politician image may cause internal hesitation, his son Vishal Prashant is seen as a possible alternative candidate.
The induction took place at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Auditorium in the BJP’s state office, where Dilip Jaiswal emphasized Sunil Pandey’s long-standing relationship with the NDA and welcomed him back to the alliance.
Sunil Pandey, a seasoned politician with four terms as an MLA, expressed his alignment with BJP policies and reiterated his commitment to the NDA. On the issue of his candidacy in the Tarari by-election, Pandey deferred to the party’s decision, stating that he would accept whatever the BJP decides.
Political analyst Ravi Upadhyay suggests that Sunil Pandey’s inclusion in the BJP is a strategic move for the upcoming assembly by-elections. While the central leadership will make the final decision on the candidate, it is likely that someone from Pandey’s family, possibly his son Vishal Prashant, will contest the Tarari seat. Public sentiment, according to Upadhyay, appears to be in favor of Sunil Pandey.
