Political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party is set to announce its candidates for the by-elections to the Belaganj and Imamganj Assembly constituencies on Saturday.

Public expectations are high that the party will field a Muslim candidate in Belaganj and a Dalit candidate in Imamganj. This decision aligns with the region’s demographic composition and reflects the party’s strategy to represent minority and marginalised communities.

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The Belaganj constituency has been at the centre of internal discussions, with several names under consideration for the ticket, while Imamganj is expected to have a Dalit candidate, keeping in line with local political demands.

However, the internal conflicts within the Jan Suraaj regarding the selection of candidates for the upcoming by-elections in Gaya, Bihar, escalated dramatically on Friday night.

A ruckus broke out at a meeting to finalise candidates for the Belaganj and Imamganj Assembly constituencies.

Party workers became unruly, clashing with each other and damaging property, such as vandalising chairs, despite Kishor’s efforts to maintain control and prevent the situation from spiralling out of hand.

For Belaganj, four candidates were under consideration Mohd Amjad Hasan, Khilafat Hussain, Mohd Danish Mukhiya, and Sarfaraz Khan.

The clashes indicate deeper issues within the party’s ranks, which could impact the party’s electoral performance in the by-elections.

Amid the chaotic atmosphere, two potential candidates – Danish Mukhiya and Sarfaraz Khan – withdrew their candidacies from the stage, both expressing support for Mohd Amjad Hasan.

Despite efforts to finalise the candidate, tensions escalated when Kishor addressed the gathering.

He acknowledged that the local people, including those from all communities, had agreed that a minority candidate should be chosen to represent Belaganj. However, when Kishor mentioned that Khilafat Hussain was still under consideration, supporters of Amjad Hasan began raising slogans, leading to unrest.

Kishor maintained that he would not be swayed by pressure tactics and emphasised his commitment to making a fair decision.

In an unexpected move, Amjad Hasan announced from the stage that he would remain loyal to the party and extended support to Khilafat Hussain. Despite this, the situation remained tumultuous, and the decision was not finalised during the event.