Bihar: JDU's Gupteshwar Pandey says 'not contesting polls' after Buxar goes to BJP kitty

Just ten days after joining the Janata Dal (United) party, former Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey said on Wednesday he is not contesting the upcoming assembly elections. Pandey, who took voluntary retirement to join the JD(U) ahead of the Bihar polls, faced a major setback earlier in the day after the seat he was eyeing went to the BJP under the NDA's seat-sharing scheme.

The former DGP, who had been extremely vocal during the Sushant Singh Rajput death probe, was in the running to contest from his hometown Buxar as a JD(U) candidate. Although, Buxar has always been a stronghold for the BJP with prominent faces like current Lok Sabha MP Ashwini Chaubey. The Assembly seat however is currently occupied by Congress' Sanjay Kumar 'Munna' Tiwari.

While the BJP hasn't yet release the names of its candidates from Buxar and Brahampur, it has announced its candidate from Shahpur seat in Buxar, which was speculated to go to the retired DGP.

In a brief statement in Hindi on Facebook, Pandey said he was "upset" by the calls of his well-wishers who expected that he would contest the polls after retirement, and categorically stated that he is not contesting the assembly elections.

"I am upset with the phone calls of many of my well-wishers. I also understand their concern and problems. After my retirement, everyone expected that I would contest the election but this time I am not contesting the assembly elections," Pandey said.

"Be patient," the 1987 batch IPS officer told his followers, assuring that he will be in public service all his life. "My life has been spent in a struggle. I will be in public service all my life. Please be patient and do not call me. My life is dedicated to the people of Bihar. I bow before my brothers and sisters, mothers and youth of all communities in my native land Buxar. Keep your love and blessings!"

Interestingly, Pandey’s former police colleague Sunil Kumar, who retired as Director General (Home Guards) recently, has been nominated by the JD(U) from Bhore (reserved seat) in Gopalganj district. The JD(U) got two seats in the Buxar district — Rajpur (reserved SC) and Dumraon — where it named state minister Santosh Kumar Nirala and Anjum Ara respectively.

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Gupteshwar Pandey came into limelight recently after he played a key role in the Bihar Police investigation in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, wherein he took on the Mumbai Police and the Maharashtra government for allegedly blocking the Bihar Police investigation when the team was in Mumbai. Pandey had alleged that Mumbai Police was not fair in investigating the late actor's death. Earlier, Pandey had taken premature retirement to contest the Lok Sabha elections in 2009, but later the state government did not accept his VRS application and reinstated him in the service. 

The Election Commission of India last month announced the date for the upcoming Bihar Assembly election. The 243-member legislative assembly will be held in three phases — the first phase on October 28, the second on November 3, and the third on November 7, while the counting of votes and results declaration will be held on November 10. 

After Pandey joined the JD(U) in the presence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, many Maharashtra leaders lambasted him for reaping 'political gains' in the Sushant case. Pandey also landed into controversy after he asked Rhea Chakraborty what is her "aukat" (stature) to question the Bihar CM after the Supreme Court allowed the CBI to take control of the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.

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