Prashant Kishor to contest Bankipur bypoll on Jan Suraaj ticket
What's the story
Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor will make his electoral debut in the upcoming Bankipur assembly bypoll in Bihar. He has announced his candidacy as the Jan Suraaj Party candidate for the high-profile contest, a traditional Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold. The announcement was made by Jan Suraaj state president Manoj Bharti after a core committee meeting of the party.
Election debut
Polling for by-election will be held on July 30
Kishor's electoral debut comes after he has managed campaigns for major parties over the last decade. The Bankipur seat fell vacant after Nitin Nabin was elected to the Rajya Sabha and moved to Delhi as BJP national president. Polling for the by-election will be held on July 30, with votes counted on August 3. The last date for filing nominations is July 13.
Party potential
Kishor confident of defeating BJP in Bankipur
Kishor has expressed confidence that only the Jan Suraaj Party can defeat the BJP in Bankipur. He said, "The RJD and the Congress have been losing the seat by massive margins. Our party believes we just need to field a strong candidate." Despite a disappointing debut in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, where it failed to win any seats, Kishor remains optimistic about his party's potential.
Political landscape
Bankipur a BJP bastion
Bankipur, located in Patna, is considered a BJP bastion. Nabin represented the constituency for several terms before moving to the Rajya Sabha. The by-election is likely to attract national attention as it marks Kishor's transition from election strategist to candidate. For the BJP, retaining Bankipur would reaffirm its hold over one of its safest urban constituencies.