Prashant Kishor names retired Lt General as candidate for Tarari bypoll in Bihar

Patna, Oct 16 (IANS) Prashant Kishor, the chief of the Jan Suraj Party, named former vice chief of Army Staff, (retired) Lieutenant General Krishna Singh for the Tarari Assembly constituency in the upcoming by-elections in Bihar.

The announcement was made during an interaction with the media at the party’s camp office in Patna’s Patliputra Colony.

While Kishor mentioned that the names of the other three candidates will be revealed soon, the selection of Krishna Singh signalled the party's strategy of fielding high-profile candidates with distinguished careers.

Lt. Gen. Krishna Singh, a native of Tarari village, is a graduate of the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Dehradun and served in the Gorkha Regiment of the Indian Army.

Inspired by Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, Singh dedicated 41 years of service to the military before retiring in December 2013. He later served on the Armed Forces Tribunal for four years, holding a position equivalent to that of a High Court judge, before retiring in 2017.

“I want to work for my home district and state and am committed to fostering clean and healthy politics in Bihar. I want to bring leadership experience to benefit his local community,” Singh said.

When questioned about the Agniveer policy introduced by the NDA government, Singh voiced his disapproval.

He highlighted that the 17-year tenure under the previous policy allowed soldiers to deeply connect with their regiments, cultivating a strong sense of emotion, passion, and values.

He expressed concerns about whether the shortened four-year tenure under the Agniveer policy could foster the same level of commitment and spirit.

“When the Galwan incident happened, the passionate response given by the Indian soldiers against Chinese forces during that clash. At that time, the entire battalion was furious about the actions of the Chinese army personnel towards our commanding officer. It cannot be said whether the Agniveers will be able to show the kind of spirit that our Army personnel had shown at that time,” Singh said.

Singh's candidacy, along with his remarks on military matters, brings a unique perspective to the upcoming by-elections, positioning him as a candidate with both local roots and extensive national experience.

This move adds to the anticipation surrounding the electoral battle, especially with Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj Party aiming to make a significant impact.

While announcing of Lt. Gen. Krishna Singh's nomination, Prashant Kishor took a sharp dig at the BJP.

Kishor urged people to compare the two parties' candidates, emphasizing the qualifications and background of Jan Suraj’s pick versus that of the BJP.

Kishor highlighted that Singh, a highly decorated Indian Army officer who has received the Vishisht Seva Medal and Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, has served the country in major military operations like Meghdoot, Rakshak, and Parakram.

In contrast, Kishor indirectly referred to Sunil Pandey, a well-known Bahubali (strongman) and his son (without taking their names), who recently joined the BJP. Pandey’s son is considered the probable BJP candidate for the Tarari bypoll.

Kishor stated, "Everyone knows who the BJP candidate would be in Tarari," contrasting the military credentials of his own candidate with what he described as "the dark future of the BJP in Bihar".

His remarks were aimed at positioning Jan Suraj as a party with integrity, offering candidates with distinguished national service backgrounds while painting the BJP as relying on candidates associated with the Bahubali culture.

The voting in Tarari, Ramgarh, Belaganj and Imamganj bypolls is scheduled on November 13, and the counting will take place on November 23.