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Bankipur bypoll results: Prashant Kishor wins Bihar’s Bankipur Assembly seat that BJP never lost since 1995
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Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor celebrates with supporters after taking the lead in the Bankipur Assembly by-election during the counting of votes, in Patna, Monday, August 3, 2026. | Mr. Kishor got 64,151 votes, whereas Mr. Sinha got 44,827 votes. RJD candidate Rekha Kumari came third with 14,273 votes.Celebrations broke out at the Jan Suraaj Party headquarters and outside the counting centre at A.N. College here, with supporters dancing to the tunes of local songs and distributing sweets.Prashant Kishor: From election backrooms to Bihar Assembly“The Bharatiya Janata Party humbly accepts the mandate of the Bankipur by-election and respects the people’s decision. In a democratic process, the verdict of the people is above everything!” Bihar BJP State President Sanjay Saraogi said in a statement. “Unlike Opposition parties, we do not blame constitutional institutions, EVMs, or the Election Commission for our defeat. The Bharatiya Janata Party has complete faith in democracy and constitutional systems, and believes in addressing its shortcomings through introspection and review.”Read updates from the vote counting for Manjalpur Assembly bypoll in GujaratThe by-election was necessitated following the resignation of BJP national president Nitin Nabin, who gave up the seat in April upon election to the Rajya Sabha.The bypoll, held on July 30, recorded a voter turnout of 34.30%, down by more than 7% from the 41.45% registered in the last Assembly elections.A total of 26 candidates are in the fray this time.Mr. Nabin had won the Assembly seat for the fifth consecutive time in November 2025, defeating nearest rival Rekha Gupta of the RJD by over 50,000 votes.The RJD again nominated Ms. Gupta for the by-election.Prashant Kishor, a former poll strategist who launched the Jan Suraaj Party a few years ago, is contesting his first election, while the BJP, which has never lost the Assembly segment since 1995 when it was known as Patna West, has fielded low-key youth wing leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha.(With PTI inputs) Published - August 03, 2026 08:28 am IST
Security personnel keep a vigil at a polling station during the Bankipur Assembly byelection in Patna, on July 30, 2026. | m. on Thursday (July 30, 2026) in the Bankipur Assembly byelection in Bihar, as per the data shared by the Election Commission of India (ECI).The voting began at 7 a.m. in 422 polling stations and will continue till 6 p.m.Altogether 26 candidates, including Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, are in the fray.Mr. Kishor, 49, a former poll strategist who launched the Jan Suraaj Party a few years ago, is contesting his first election, while the BJP, which has never lost the seat since 1995 when it was known as Patna West, has fielded low-key youth wing leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha.Mr. Kishor’s entry has intensified the contest in a constituency where the BJP has won by huge margins over the years.Mr. Nabin, who gave up the seat in April upon election to the Rajya Sabha, had won the Assembly segment for the fifth consecutive time in November last year, defeating nearest rival Rekha Gupta, the RJD candidate fielded by her party again this time, by over 50,000 votes.Prominent politicians among those who voted till 9 a.m. include senior BJP leader C.P. Thakur, his son and Nawada MP Vivek Thakur and State Minister Ramkripal Yadav.Mr. Nabin appealed to electors to come out in large numbers and cast their votes to strengthen the resolve of a developed India.“I appeal to all the voters of the Bankipur (Bihar), Manjalpur (Gujarat) and Datia (Madhya Pradesh) assembly constituencies, especially the youth and women, to come out in large numbers to cast their votes and make their invaluable contribution toward strengthening the resolve of a Vikashit Bharat,” he wrote in his X post.BJP’s Bihar unit president Sanjay Saraogi also urged people to exercise their franchise early in the day for the development of Bankipur.Mr. Kishor on Thursday (July 30, 2026) accused the Bihar Police of having picked up many of his supporters, allegedly at the behest of the ruling BJP, which he said “fears losing the bypoll” in the Bankipur seat. Published - July 30, 2026 07:54 am IST
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