Prashant Kishor ready to contest Bankipur bypoll, calls it referendum on Bihar CM
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Friday announced that he is prepared to contest the upcoming Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar if his party approves
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Friday announced that he is prepared to contest the upcoming Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar if his party approves, describing the contest as the first electoral referendum on Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary's leadership and the performance of his government. Speaking exclusively to India Today TV, Kishor made his electoral intentions clear, and said he is willing to enter the contest if his candidature could help defeat the BJP in one of its strongest urban bastions. Read Full Story "If my contesting the election can ensure that the BJP loses a stronghold like Bankipur, I am ready to contest," he said. According to the Jan Suraaj leader, the bypoll would be far more significant than a contest for a single Assembly seat, arguing that it would reflect public opinion on the BJP-led government's leadership after the change of guard in Bihar.
"This election is not merely about one Assembly seat. It is the people's verdict on Samrat Choudhary's leadership and his government's functioning," Kishor said. The Jan Suraaj chief claimed there was growing resentment among voters in Bankipur over Choudhary replacing Nitish Kumar as chief minister. According to Kishor, the NDA's victory in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections was driven by Nitish Kumar's leadership rather than Samrat Choudhary's appeal. "The people of Bankipur did not vote in 2025 for Samrat Choudhary. They voted in the name of Nitish Kumar. There is disappointment among the people over the change in leadership," he alleged. A CHANGE IN POLITICAL STRATEGY The announcement marks a significant shift in Kishor's political strategy. Despite spearheading Jan Suraaj's statewide campaign during the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, he had consciously stayed away from contesting any seat.
At the time, he argued that entering the fray himself would restrict his ability to campaign extensively for the party's candidates across Bihar. Jan Suraaj had fielded candidates in 238 out of the 243 assembly constituencies in Bihar for the 2025 Assembly polls, but it drew a blank. The party managed to secure a vote share of approximately 3.4 per cent across the state. Before the Assembly elections, Kishor had also indicated that if he ever entered electoral politics directly, he would likely contest from his home constituency of Kargahar. There was later speculation that he could challenge RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav from Raghopur, but he ultimately chose not to contest. With only the Bankipur Assembly seat going to the polls, Kishor now appears to have altered that strategy, seeing the by-election as an opportunity to personally test both his political appeal and Jan Suraaj's organisational strength in a high-profile contest.
The BriefWire