Bihar's Bankipur By-Election Sees High Voter Turnout Amidst Intense Competition

Voting Commences in Bihar's Bankipur By-Election

Voting for the Bankipur assembly by-election in Bihar commenced at 7 AM under strict security measures and concluded in the evening. By 5 PM, the voter turnout had reached 33.60%. This high-stakes contest features Prashant Kishor, the founder of the Jan Suraj Party, as a key candidate. The by-election was necessitated after Nitin Nawin, the BJP's national president, vacated the seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha in April. Nawin had successfully retained his seat for the fifth consecutive time, defeating RJD's Rekha Gupta by over 50,000 votes in the 2025 assembly elections.

Intense Rivalry Between BJP and Jan Suraj Party

From the outset, the contest has been viewed as a fierce battle between the BJP and the Jan Suraj Party. The BJP has fielded Neeraj Kumar Sinha, a leader from its youth wing, for this seat. The party has held this constituency since 1995 when it was known as 'Patna West'. Kishor's entry into the race has made this by-election one of the most talked-about contests in the state, as he aims to challenge the BJP's long-standing dominance in the area.

Allegations of Police Misconduct

Prior to the voting, Kishor accused the Bihar police of detaining several of his supporters, alleging that this was done at the behest of the ruling BJP, which fears losing the Bankipur seat. In Datia, the main parties contesting the by-election are the BJP and Congress, with leaders from both parties claiming victory. Senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra, along with BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari and Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh, cast their votes and urged voters to exercise their right to vote.

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