Bankipur: In an initial setback for the Bharatiya Janata Party, political strategist turned politician Prashant Kishor has taken an early lead in the Bankipur assembly bye-election as the counting of votes progresses in Bihar. The Jan Suraaj Party founder established a lead of 1,145 votes over his primary rival, Neeraj Kumar Sinha of the BJP, during the early rounds of counting. Official figures indicate Kishor secured 6,269 votes while Sinha garnered 5,124 votes.
The bye-election in Bankipur was necessitated after senior leader Nitin Nabin vacated the seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha. Long regarded as an unbeatable stronghold for the BJP, the constituency has drawn national attention due to Kishor making his formal electoral debut. Vote tallying is currently underway under tight security protocols at the counting centre set up at AN College in Patna.
Political analysts are watching the contest closely to see whether the fledgling Jan Suraaj Party can disrupt traditional party strongholds across urban Bihar. Early trends highlight a spirited triangular battle with the Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate trailing behind as election officials finalize further rounds of counting.
