Bihar: Jan Suraaj party to field Prashant Kishor in Bankipur Assembly bypoll
Patna, July 5
Jan Suraaj Party's state president Manoj Bharti on Sunday announced that its founder Prashant Kishor will contest the July 30 by-election from the Bankipur Assembly constituency in Bihar.
The seat, traditionally a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold and was vacated by BJP national president Nitin Nabin after he was elected to the Rajya Sabha, necessitating the bypoll.
With Prashant Kishor entering the fray, the contest is expected to be closely watched as a direct political battle between the BJP and Jan Suraaj.
The by-election to the 182-Bankipur Assembly constituency was necessitated following the resignation of Nitin Nabin.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday announced the schedule for bypolls to three Assembly Constituencies in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, which includes the high-profile seats of Bankipur, Datia, and Manjalpur.
According to an official press release issued by the Election Commission, the poll body has decided to hold by-polls to fill the vacancies in the constituencies.
In Madhya Pradesh, the vacancy in the 22-Datia Assembly Constituency arose due to the disqualification of Rajendra Bharti.
Meanwhile, in Gujarat, the poll for the 145-Manjalpur Assembly Constituency is being held to fill the seat left vacant following the unfortunate demise of the sitting MLA, Yogeshbhai Narandas Patel.
As per the official schedule released by the poll body, the Gazette Notification for the bye-elections will be issued on July 6 (Monday), marking the commencement of the nomination process.
The last date for filing nominations has been fixed as July 13 (Monday), with the scrutiny of the nomination papers scheduled to take place on July 14 (Tuesday).
Candidates will have until July 16 (Thursday) to withdraw their candidatures. The polling for the three assembly seats in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat will be conducted on July 30 (Thursday), while the counting of votes is slated for August 3 (Monday).
The Election Commission further stated that the entire election process shall be completed by August 4 (Tuesday).
The Commission has decided to use EVMs and VVPATs in the by-election in all the polling stations. Adequate numbers of EVMs and VVPATs have been made available, and all steps have been taken to ensure that the poll is conducted smoothly with the help of these machines.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I hope Prashant Kishor brings some fresh ideas to Bihar politics. The state needs new leadership beyond the old guard. But fighting BJP in their stronghold? That's a big challenge. Still, good for democracy when new parties step up.
Another 'expert' entering politics! PK has been advising everyone from Modi to Mamata. Now let's see if he can win a seat himself. Bankipur is upper-caste dominated and BJP's vote bank is strong. But if anyone can upset the calculations, it's Kishor. Count me interested! 📊
I appreciate that PK is finally contesting elections instead of just giving advice. But his party Jan Suraaj hasn't made much impact yet. Bankipur bypoll will be a litmus test. Hope he focuses on real issues like education and jobs rather than just PR gimmicks.
Honestly, I think PK is biting off more than he can chew. Bankipur has been with BJP since forever. But then, politics is all about surprises - remember what he did for Kejriwal? If he can bring that magic to Bihar, it would be a game-changer. Let's watch this space. 🏏
I'm from Bankipur and people are talking about this! Many young voters are excited about PK because he speaks about employment and development. BJP might win on caste equations, but if Jan Suraaj campaigns well, it could be close. Either way, good to see some political action! 😊
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