Bihar: JDU's Minapur candidate Manoj Kushwaha returns poll ticket, party issues statement

The Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led ruling JD(U)'s Manoj Kumar Kushwaha who was the party's candidate from Minapur constituency in the forthcoming assembly elections in Bihar, returned the party ticket on Saturday. According to Kushwaha, he wanted to contest from Kurhani, a constituency which he had represented thrice but now has been allotted to the BJP.

Speaking to news agency ANI, said, Kushwaha said, "Party gave me a ticket from Minapur. I went there and saw the situation and I decided not to contest the polls and returned the ticket to the state president Bashishtha Narayan Singh and national general secretary RCP Singh. I also held a telephonic conversation with the Chief Minister."

'Wanted to contest from Kurhani which is a BJP seat'

"I have decided to work for the party. I wanted to contest from Kurhani which is a BJP seat. I had prepared from Kurhani and I had represented the constituency thrice. The party asked it is your choice to contest polls, and I decided not to contest polls and work for the party," who is the former MLA from Muzaffarpur district's Kurhani seat added.

Clearing the air, JD (U) state president Bashishtha Narain Singh said, "It is his large-heartedness and an example of his loyalty to the party. The reality is that he wanted to fight from Kurhani. Due to a mistake from the party's side, the ticket for Minapur seat was given to Manoj Kumar Kushwaha who has the same name as Manoj Kumar. Now Manoj Kumar has been given the ticket. Kushwaha returned the ticket wrongly allotted to him."

Bihar Assembly Elections 2020

Meanwhile, Manoj Kumar who is now allotted the party's ticket from Minapur said, "Manojji (Khushwaha) is a great leader, he has been a former minister and has served the party a lot. There was some opposition that why the candidate from outside. After that, he took a courageous step in the interest of the party, and now a common person like me got the ticket. I am certainly happy."

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Bihar goes to polls in three phases for its 243 assembly seats on October 28, November 3, and November 7. Keeping in view the COVID-19 protocol, the voting time has been increased by one hour. The counting of votes will take place on November 10. The NDA has announced its seat-sharing formula: The BJP will contest 121 seats and the JD(U) will contest 115, while Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM will contest seven seats.

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