Patna (Bihar) [India], July 7 (ANI): Saying that Bihar’s Bankipur Assembly constituency will once again “honour Nitin Nabin” by electing a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate in the upcoming bypolls, Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday expressed confidence in the party, dashing the hopes of Prashant Kishor in making his debut in the assembly.
Saying that Kishor has already been exposed in the 2025 elections, the Union Minister said that the party would face a similar defeat in the upcoming by-polls. In the previous elections, the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) contested more than 230 seats but failed to win any of them. The party also lost deposits in multiple seats.
“Prashant Kishor has contested elections before as well. His face has already been exposed,” Begusarai MP Giriraj Singh told reporters here.
Bankipur assembly fell vacant after the now Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Nabin was nominated to the Rajya Sabha representing Bihar. He earlier represented 182-Bankipur assembly constituency, a seat he has held since 2010.
“BJP’s candidate will contest from Bankipur Assembly. The people of Bankipur made Nitin Nabin an MLA, and the party made him the national president, which is a matter of pride for us. The people of Bankipur will once again honour Nitin Nabin,” Minister Singh said.
While Nabin won against RJD candidate Rekha Kumari by a margin of more than 50 thousand votes, Prashant Kishor is set to make his electoral debut with claims that he wants to give voters choices beyond to exercise their franchise beyond caste and religion.
However, Kishor faces a tough battle ahead. Choosing to contest a long time BJP bastion, the JSP founder is looking to break over 15 years of the party winning the seat. Since 2010, the seat has been represented by Nitin Nabin.
However, Kishor has said that he was not looking for a “safe seat” and had deliberately chosen to contest from Bankipur, to send a message that Bihar’s voters should move beyond caste and religion while exercising their franchise.
He also urged people to stop voting out of fear for either Lalu Prasad Yadav or the BJP.
Speaking to ANI, Kishor said, “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.”
Bankipur will go to the polls on July 30, along with constituencies in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
In Bihar, the by-election will be held for the 182-Bankipur Assembly constituency. The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on July 14, while candidates can withdraw their nominations until July 16. Polling will be held on July 30 from 7 am to 6 pm, and the entire election process will be completed by August 4, 2026. (ANI)
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