Bihar bypolls: Bankipur votes in high-stakes bypoll, Prashant Kishor takes on BJP
Polling in the Bankipur assembly by-election in Bihar began at 7 am on Thursday, with around 4.6 per cent of the constituency's 3.8 lakh voters
Polling in the Bankipur assembly by-election in Bihar began at 7 am on Thursday, with around 4.6 per cent of the constituency's 3.8 lakh voters casting their votes in the first two hours, officials said. Voting is being held at 422 polling stations and will continue till 6 pm. The bypoll has drawn attention because Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor is contesting his first election, taking on a BJP that has held the seat since 1995, when it was known as Patna West. Read Full Story Kishor's entry has sharpened the contest, even as he accused the Bihar Police of picking up many of his supporters at the behest of the ruling BJP, which he said "fears losing the bypoll" in Bankipur.
"The polling has so far been peaceful. The voter turnout till 9 am was 4.61 per cent," an official said. A total of 26 candidates are in the fray. Kishor, 49, is a former poll strategist who launched the Jan Suraaj Party a few years ago. The BJP has fielded youth wing leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha. The party has never lost the seat since 1995. 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 his nearest rival Rekha Gupta of the RJD, who is in the fray again, by more than 50,000 votes.
Among the prominent politicians who voted till 9 am were senior BJP leader CP Thakur, his son and Nawada MP Vivek Thakur, and state minister Ramkripal Yadav. Nabin appealed to voters to turn out in large numbers. In a post on X, he said, "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." BJP's Bihar unit president Sanjay Saraogi also urged people to exercise their franchise early in the day for the development of Bankipur.
With polling proceeding peacefully in the morning, the Bankipur by-election saw an early turnout of 4.61 per cent, a keen contest featuring 26 candidates, and fresh political sparring as parties sought to mobilise voters through the day. Ends
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