Patna (Bihar) [India], August 3 (ANI): Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor framed his lead in the Bankipur by-election, which has been considered a stronghold for the BJP for decades, as a message from the people of Bihar to the BJP’s central leadership rather than simply a contest for one assembly seat that voters were rejecting leaders with tainted records in favour of governance focused on development.
He consolidated his lead in the Bankipur assembly bypoll, with the latest Election Commission of India data showing him ahead by nearly 19,419 votes. According to the ECI, Kishor has polled 59,213 votes against BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar’s 39,794 votes. RJD’s Rekha Kumari trails in third place with 13,260 votes.
“This is the victory of the people of Bankipur. As we stated during the election campaign, this was not just an election to choose an MLA. It was an attempt by the people of Bihar to send a message to the BJP’s central leadership that they should appoint a good person as the Chief Minister of Bihar. They do not want a person with a criminal background or questionable conduct, character, or reputation to lead Bihar. They want a good Chief Minister who can improve education, create employment opportunities for the youth, and ensure that the children of Bihar do not have to migrate elsewhere for work,” Kishor told reporters.
The Jan Suraaj chief also called upon the BJP’s central leadership to focus on governance ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections, stating, “Before the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Modi, the BJP, and Amit Shah should focus on improving Bihar, creating jobs for its youth, and stopping migration. That is our only objective. We do not want to become MLAs merely to award contracts. Our sole objective is the development of Bihar.”
Kishor’s remarks came as Jan Suraaj workers continued their celebrations in Patna.
The Bankipur Assembly seat (formerly Patna West) is not just any constituency; it has been an unassailable stronghold for the BJP since 1995. For over three decades, the constituency was effectively the political fiefdom of one family: first represented by BJP leader Navin Kishore Prasad Sinha, and continuously held for five consecutive terms by his son Nitin Nabin.
The bypoll was necessitated when Nitin Nabin, serving as the BJP National President, vacated his seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha. In the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, Nabin won Bankipur by a massive margin of over 50,000 votes. For Kishor to systematically dismantle that legacy in Nabin’s own backyard delivers a severe blow to the ruling party’s prestige.
After years as a legendary political strategist for other parties, Prashant Kishor launched Jan Suraaj to create an alternative political movement built around grassroots issues, education, and employment. Winning a premier urban constituency in his first direct electoral contest provides a massive validation for Jan Suraaj, establishing it as a formidable political force against both the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. (ANI)
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