Bankipur Bypoll
Prashant Kishor stuns BJP in poll debut, takes early lead in Bankipur bypoll
Patna/IBNS: Former political strategist and Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) chief Prashant Kishor has taken an early lead over his nearest rival from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar's Bankipur Assembly by-election, where polling was held on July 30.
Making his electoral debut, Kishor is leading BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar by over 1,100 votes as counting continues.
The by-election to the Kayastha-dominated constituency was necessitated after BJP national president Nitin Nabin resigned from the seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha.
Bankipur has been a BJP stronghold since 1995, making the contest politically significant.
Kishor's decision to contest from Bankipur has turned what would otherwise have been a routine bypoll into one of Bihar's most closely watched political battles.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has fielded Rekha Kumari from the constituency. She is currently in third place, behind BJP's Neeraj Kumar, according to the latest counting trends.
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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