Sanjay Raut Attributes BJP's Bihar Loss to Student Protests and Controversies

In a recent statement, Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT) linked the BJP's defeat in the Bihar Bankipur by-election to student protests and controversies surrounding the Ayodhya Ram Temple theft. He highlighted the impact of police actions against demonstrators and the BJP's silence on critical issues. Prashant Kishor's victory over the BJP's Neeraj Kumar by a significant margin has raised the opposition's confidence. Raut also criticized the upcoming event featuring RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, suggesting that true representatives of Gen-Z should be included. This article delves into the implications of these events on the political landscape in Bihar.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 4, 2026, 16:28 IST

BJP's Setback in Bihar Linked to Recent Events

Mumbai, August 4 – Sanjay Raut, a leader from the Shiv Sena (UBT), asserted on Tuesday that the anger stemming from police actions against students protesting the Ayodhya Ram Temple theft and the NEET paper leak contributed significantly to the BJP's defeat in the Bankipur assembly by-election in Bihar. Prashant Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraj Party, secured victory in the Bankipur seat on Monday, a constituency that has been a BJP stronghold since 1995, necessitating a by-election after the party's national president, Nitin Nabin, vacated the seat.

Kishor triumphed over his nearest BJP rival, Neeraj Kumar, by a margin of 19,324 votes. Raut informed reporters in New Delhi that the student protests at Jantar Mantar, followed by police actions against young demonstrators, along with the BJP leadership's silence on the theft at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, were pivotal in the party's loss in Bankipur. He also mentioned a video that surfaced during Nitin Nabin's welcome in Lucknow, showing an artist dressed as the Hindu deity Hanuman dancing with a BJP flag, which he claimed offended public sentiments.

The Rajya Sabha member noted that the by-election results have bolstered the opposition's confidence. Raut recalled that in 2018, the BJP lost the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat to the Samajwadi Party, a seat previously held by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for five consecutive terms.

He further claimed that those participating in the upcoming interaction between RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Gen-Z at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai would likely be the children or grandchildren of BJP leaders or RSS representatives. Raut questioned, 'Who else would attend? Those participating are not Gen-Z.'

He emphasized that the true Gen-Z individuals are those who protested at Jantar Mantar, facing tear gas and police batons, and they should be the ones invited to the RSS chief's event.