India, July 12 -- The upcoming by-elections in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh have become high-stakes tests of prestige for the BJP and their respective Chief Ministers. Both contests, scheduled for July 30, have drawn significant attention due to unexpected internal party manoeuvring.

Bankipur battle in Bihar

In Bihar's Bankipur seat, a BJP stronghold vacated by Nitin Nabin, the party's candidate selection caused chaos. The BJP initially fielded Abhishek Kumar Sinha, only to replace him with Neeraj Kumar Sinha within 24 hours. The change followed reports that Abhishek's father had been convicted in the Fodder Scam, a liability the Opposition would have certainly exploited. The oversight regarding a senior leader's seat has raised questions a...