Prashant Kishor shocks BJP in Bankipur bypoll win
The by-election outcome is expected to reshape Bihar's political landscape
Dubai: Prashant Kishor scored a landmark political victory in Bihar on Monday, defeating the BJP in the high-profile Bankipur Assembly by-election and delivering the first electoral win for his fledgling Jan Suraaj party.
According to the final counting figures after 31 rounds, Kishor secured 63,203 votes, while BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha polled 44,250 votes. RJD's Rekha Gupta finished a distant third with 14,085 votes. Kishor's victory margin stood at 18,953 votes.
At the time of reporting, the Election Commission was yet to formally declare the result, although counting had concluded and Kishor held an unassailable lead.
The result marks a breakthrough for Jan Suraaj, a relatively new political outfit founded by Kishor, who is contesting and winning an Assembly election for the first time. The victory is particularly significant as Bankipur has long been regarded as a BJP stronghold.
Reacting to the outcome, senior BJP leader and Bihar minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said the party respected the people's verdict and had full faith in the democratic process.
"We accept the mandate with humility. We do not question the Election Commission or electronic voting machines when we lose," he said, adding that the BJP would conduct an organisational review to understand the reasons behind the defeat.
BJP's Bihar unit president Sanjay Saraogi echoed similar views, saying the party would analyse where it fell short despite development work carried out in the constituency. He stressed that the BJP would continue working for the development of Bankipur regardless of the election result.
The by-election outcome is expected to reshape Bihar's political landscape ahead of future electoral contests, with Kishor's victory providing a significant boost to Jan Suraaj's ambitions. Once the Election Commission formally notifies the result, Kishor will take his seat in the Bihar Assembly as the MLA from Bankipur.
Who is Prashant Kishor?
Prashant Kishor is one of India's best-known political strategists, having worked on election campaigns for leaders and parties across the political spectrum, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2014 campaign, the JD(U), AAP, TMC and DMK. In 2024, he formally entered electoral politics by launching the Jan Suraaj Party after a statewide outreach campaign in Bihar. His Bankipur victory marks his first electoral contest and signals his transition from behind-the-scenes strategist to elected politician.
With inputs from IANS
