Bankipur Bypoll: Early Trends show Prashant Kishor leading by 862 votes after round 1
Patna, August 3
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor took an early lead of 862 votes over Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha after the first round of counting in the Bankipur Assembly bypoll on Monday, according to official figures released by the Election Commission.
As per the initial round-wise trends, Prashant Kishor secured 2,225 votes, while BJP's Neeraj Kumar Sinha polled 1,363 votes. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Rekha Gupta was in the third position with 505 votes, trailing the leader by 1,720 votes.
The election marks the direct electoral debut of poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, whose performance is being closely watched in the state's political landscape.
Counting of votes is underway at the designated counting centre in Patna, with further round-wise trends awaited. The Bankipur Assembly bypoll was held on July 30, 2026 (Thursday). The by-election was necessitated after BJP leader Nitin Nabin vacated the seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha.
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
Honestly, the fact that he's leading in a seat that's been with BJP since 2010 is already a big statement, regardless of the final result. The man is trying to break the caste-religion binary in Bihar politics. Even if he loses narrowly, the message is clear - people are tired of the old divide-and-rule politics.
One round of counting doesn't tell the whole story. BJP has a stronghold here for decades. Wait for at least 10-12 rounds before jumping to conclusions. That said, it's refreshing to see a political debutant who isn't playing it safe and taking on the establishment head-on.
What a bold move by Prashant Kishor, honestly! "Stop voting out of fear" - that line hits hard. For too long, Bihar's politics has been about Lalu vs BJP. This sends a signal to all politicians that the youth want development, jobs, and education - not just identity politics. Proud to see someone challenging the status quo.
I have my reservations about PK. He's a brilliant strategist, no doubt, but political consulting and actually governing are two different things entirely. His ideation of 'beyond caste and religion' sounds good on paper, but in a state like Bihar, it's easier said than done. Early lead is encouraging but let's see the final numbers.
This is a good sign for Bihar's democracy. Prashant Kishor is leading in a seat his party probably didn't even exist in a few months ago. Even if
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