BJP, ABVP demand Prashant Kishor's arrest for breaking code of conduct

Ruling BJP members on Tuesday protested against Bihar Police's action against ABVP activists and demanded the arrest of JD-U's national Vice President Prashant Kishor for breaking the model code of conduct ahead of the student union poll in the Patna University.

Their demonstration came a day after an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activist was arrested for pelting stones at Kishor's vehicle when he was coming out after a meeting with Patna University Vice-Chancellor.

Kishor's vehicle was damaged in the attack.

A dozen activists of the Rashtriya Swayamseval Sangh students' wing ABVP, two Bharatiya Janata Party legislators -- Arun Sonja and Nitin Navin -- along with several party leaders staged the sit-in at Pirbahor police station on Tuesday.

They shouted slogans against the BJP-JD(U) government and demanded the arrest of Kishor, who is considered close to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

They said Kishor has tried to influence the Patna University Student Union polls, scheduled for Wednesday, by holding a four-hour long meeting on Monday night.

The arrested ABVP activists have been released on bail.

Nitin Navin, who leads a team of BJP Yuva Morcha on Monday night told Governor Lalji Tondon that Kishor has openly violated the model code of conduct.

Kishor's meeting with the vice-chancellor was to aid the Chatra JD-U, the student wing of the Janata Dal-United, they alleged.

Strongly reacting to the ABVP and BJP demands, Kishor wanted to know under what section of the Indian Penal Code his arrest was being demanded.

However, he said: "I will speak only after the student union polls."

An election strategist-turned-politician, Kishor joined the JD-U a few months ago and is spearheading the party's efforts to widen its network.

(With inputs from agencies.)