Bankipur Assembly bypoll: Prashant Kishor remains ahead of BJP's Neeraj Kumar Sinha as Round 4 concludes
Patna, August 3
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor has extended his lead over Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha after the fourth round of counting in the Bankipur Assembly by-election here on Monday.
As per the latest official figures released by the Election Commission (EC) after Round 4 of the 31 scheduled rounds of counting, Prashant Kishor is leading with 6,269 votes, while BJP's Neeraj Kumar Sinha has secured 5,124 votes. Kishor is ahead by a margin of 1,145 votes.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Rekha Kumari is currently in third place with 884 votes, trailing by 5,385 votes.
The bypoll, held on July 30, marks the first direct electoral contest of election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor. The Bankipur Assembly seat, considered a traditional BJP stronghold, fell vacant after former MLA and BJP leader Nitin Nabin was elected to the Rajya Sabha earlier this year.
Vote counting is underway at the designated counting centre in Patna amid tight multi-tier security arrangements. A total of 31 rounds of counting are scheduled, with 27 rounds remaining after the completion of the second round.
The final result will be declared after the completion of all rounds of counting.
Earlier, Prashant Kishor said he was not looking for a "safe seat" and had deliberately chosen to contest from Bankipur, a long-standing BJP bastion, to send a message that Bihar's voters should move beyond caste and religion while exercising their franchise.
He had also urged people to stop voting out of fear for either Lalu Prasad Yadav or the BJP. Speaking to ANI, Kishor said he had consciously avoided contesting from a politically safe constituency.
Bankipur, which falls under the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, has long been considered a BJP stronghold. The seat has been represented by the BJP's incumbent National President Nitin Nabin since 2010 and, before him, by his father, Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha, making it one of the party's most established urban bastions in Bihar.
"When people start their electoral politics, they look for safe seats for themselves... I am doing the opposite because I am telling the people of Bihar that if Bihar is to change, they must vote beyond caste and religion. They must stop voting out of fear of Lalu for BJP, or fear of BJP for Lalu. To prove the point I am explaining to the people of Bihar, I am contesting from a place where votes should not be sought in the name of caste or religion..." Kishor had told ANI.
The Bankipur Assembly bypoll, considered a key political contest in Bihar, was necessitated after BJP leader Nitin Nabin vacated the seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see a fresh face in Bihar politics. We've been stuck with the same Lalu vs BJP narratives for decades. At least PK is trying to change the conversation beyond caste politics. 🙌
I sincerely hope Prashant Kishor wins this and it shows other states that change is possible. We need leaders who focus on development, not just religion and caste divides. All the best to him.
Honestly, I think this is a good sign for democracy. We don't need to keep voting for the same old parties out of fear. Kishor's message about moving beyond caste and religion resonates with many young voters.
It's easy to criticize politicians from the outside, but at least Kishor is putting his reputation on the line by contesting from a tough seat. That takes courage. The counting is still early, but I'm cautiously optimistic.
I appreciate the move to contest from a stronghold, but we need more than just symbolism. We need concrete plans for education, healthcare, and jobs. Hope his campaign addresses these issues seriously.
Bankipur is indeed a BJP bastion, so if PK manages to even put up a close fight, that
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