Voters are casting their ballots in the Bankipur assembly by-election in Bihar, a contest drawing significant attention due to the electoral debut of Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor. The bypoll is taking place in a constituency historically dominated by the BJP, which has not elected a non-BJP MLA since 1995.
Key Candidates and the High-Stakes Contest
The Bankipur seat became vacant after BJP national president Nitin Nabin was elected to the Rajya Sabha in April. Nabin had held the constituency for five consecutive terms, underscoring its status as a BJP stronghold. This time, the BJP has fielded its youth wing leader, Neeraj Kumar Sinha. The RJD has once again nominated Rekha Gupta, who previously contested against Nabin.
However, the spotlight remains firmly on Prashant Kishor, the former political strategist turned politician. His entry into electoral politics in Bankipur, a challenging seat, is a major talking point. Kishor recently accused Bihar Police of detaining his supporters, alleging it was at the behest of the ruling BJP, which he claimed "fears losing the bypoll."
Polling Details and Voter Turnout
Voting commenced at 7 AM and is scheduled to continue until 6 PM. As of 11 AM, an approximate voter turnout of 11.50% was recorded. The constituency has around 3.80 lakh eligible voters who will decide the fate of 26 candidates.
The counting of votes for the Bankipur by-election is slated for August 3.
Significance of Bankipur and Key Issues
Bankipur's significance extends beyond its political history. Situated in the heart of Patna, it is an overwhelmingly urban constituency, a rarity in Bihar where the majority of the population resides in rural areas. All 422 polling booths in the constituency are located in urban areas, according to the Election Commission.
A prominent campaign issue in this election has been the recent student protests over the NEET paper leak. Bankipur witnessed some of the most intense demonstrations related to this issue. During their campaigns, both Prashant Kishor and RJD working president Tejashwi Yadav criticized actions taken against protesters, pointing fingers at Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
Following a Bihar bandh on July 25, police detained nearly 700 protesters, with approximately half being minors who were later released. The state home department subsequently announced that all cases would be withdrawn and those arrested would be released from jail. In the last assembly election, Bankipur recorded a relatively low 41.35% polling, compared to Bihar's overall turnout exceeding 65%.