- Prashant Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), is leading in his electoral debut in the Bankipur Assembly byelection, having announced his candidature about a month earlier.
- Counting trends for three Assembly bypolls show the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may lose two; the big blow is Bankipur, a seat the BJP has won every time since 2008 and never with less than 59% of the vote.
- Prashant Kishor of the Jan Suraaj Party is leading Bankipur by nearly 19,000 votes after 29 rounds and is set to win, dealing a blow to the BJP in its safest Bihar seat barely nine months after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) swept the state polls, winning 202 of 243 seats.
- In Bankipur, Kishor has over 48% of votes so far, while the BJP’s vote share has fallen from over 62% in the 2025 state polls to 34% this time.
- Prashant Kishor, who once helped others win elections and now heads the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), won the Bankipur seat, the first-ever seat won by both the party and Kishor.
- Kishor thanked Bankipur voters and vowed to work for Bihar's development, saying voters sent a message to the BJP to choose a state leadership that improves education and creates employment.
- Kishor told reporters in Patna that people want a Bihar chief minister without a criminal background or questionable conduct.
- JSP Bihar chief Manoj Bharti said Bankipur voters chose change and credited silent voters for a victory that keeps democracy alive in Bihar.
Prashant Kishor, the founder of the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), has made a stunning electoral debut by winning the Bankipur bypoll, a seat that has been a BJP stronghold since its inception in 2008. Kishor's victory, leading by over 19,000 votes after 29 rounds of counting, signifies a major shift in Bihar's political landscape.12345678101112
Kishor, who previously worked as a political strategist for various parties, including the BJP, had announced his candidacy just a month prior to the election. He stated, “If the BJP wins the Bankipur election, I will have no hesitation in acknowledging that the people of Bihar endorse their policies.” However, the BJP's candidate faced criticism for being a last-minute replacement, which may have contributed to the party's decline in support.
In the 2025 state elections, the BJP secured over 62 percent of the votes in Bankipur, but this time, their share plummeted to 34 percent, while Kishor garnered over 48 percent. This shift indicates a growing discontent among voters, particularly among the upper castes, regarding the BJP's leadership choices.9
Kishor expressed gratitude to the voters, emphasizing the need for improved governance in Bihar. He remarked, “The people of Bihar have sent a message to the BJP's central leadership that they should appoint a good person as the chief minister of Bihar.” This victory not only marks Kishor's first electoral win but also highlights the potential for change in Bihar's political dynamics.
Congratulating Kishor, JSP's Bihar chief Manoj Bharti stated, “There is no pocket where Jan Suraaj's voice did not reach. This is a big victory to keep democracy alive in Bihar.”
“In Bankipur, Kishor drew over 48% of votes while the BJP's vote share crashed from over 62% in the 2025 state polls to 34%, and the RJD fell to just above 11% as voters rallied behind the JSP founder. Kishor said voters want a Bihar chief minister without a criminal background or questionable conduct, sending a message to the BJP's central leadership.”
The Indian Express
