Bankipur
'People will correct their 2025 mistake': Electoral debutant Prashant Kishor predicts BJP defeat in Bankipur
Patna/IBNS: Eight months after his Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) suffered a major setback in the Bihar Assembly elections, former political strategist Prashant Kishor is set to make his electoral debut by taking on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the high-profile Bankipur Assembly bypoll.
The by-election to the Kayastha-dominated constituency was necessitated after BJP national president Nitin Nabin was elected to the Rajya Sabha.
As he enters the electoral fray, Kishor has expressed confidence that voters in Bankipur will back him, despite JSP's disappointing performance in the November 2025 Assembly elections.
'People will correct the mistake of 2025'
Addressing reporters, Kishor claimed the people of Bankipur were ready to reverse what he described as the "mistake" of electing the NDA to power in the 2025 Assembly polls.
"The people of Bankipur have decided to correct the mistake of November 2025, when the NDA formed the government by luring voters with promises of Rs 10,000. Bankipur will settle the score, and the BJP is certain to lose here, ushering in a new political chapter," the JSP chief said.
बांकीपुर भाजपा हार रही है।#PKforBankipur #prashantkishor #bankipur #jansuraaj pic.twitter.com/07sAJwif5Q
— Jan Suraaj (@jansuraajonline) July 9, 2026
Straight fight with BJP
Kishor will take on BJP candidate Abhishek Kumar 'Bunty' in the prestigious by-election scheduled for July 30.
Bankipur has remained a BJP stronghold since 1995, making the contest politically significant.
Kishor's decision to make his electoral debut from the constituency has transformed what would otherwise have been a routine bypoll into one of Bihar's most closely watched political battles.
The primary opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has fielded Rekha Kumari alias Rekha Gupta from the seat.
BJP's sweeping 2025 victory
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured around 202 of the 243 Assembly seats in the November 2025 Bihar elections, handing a crushing defeat to the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.
The victory cemented the BJP's position as the dominant force within the NDA while ensuring Nitish Kumar returned as Chief Minister for a record tenth term.
What has changed since the 2025 election?
BJP's influence within the NDA grew: Although Nitish Kumar initially continued as Chief Minister, the BJP emerged as the largest partner in the coalition and secured key ministries, including the Home Department, signalling a significant shift in the alliance's power balance.
Samrat Choudhary replaced Nitish Kumar: In April 2026, Nitish Kumar resigned after being elected to the Rajya Sabha. BJP leader Samrat Choudhary succeeded him as Chief Minister, marking the first BJP-led government in Bihar under the NDA banner while the coalition remained intact.
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