Bankipur Bypoll Will Be A 'Referendum' On Bihar's BJP-Led Govt: Prashant Kishor
Bankipur Bypoll Will Be A 'Referendum' On Bihar's BJP-Led Govt: Prashant Kishor Published By, Last Updated: July 08, 2026, 12:40 IST Jan Suraaj Party founder
Bankipur Bypoll Will Be A 'Referendum' On Bihar's BJP-Led Govt: Prashant Kishor Published By, Last Updated: July 08, 2026, 12:40 IST Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor said that BJP leader Samrat Choudhary has become the state’s chief minister "without the people's mandate" Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor (PTI) Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, while announcing his decision to contest the bypolls from the Bankipur assembly seat, said that the election in this constituency will be a “referendum" on the popularity of the BJP-led government in the state. Speaking at the press conference on Sunday, Kishor said that he will be contesting from Bankipur, which is an assembly seat that became vacant after BJP president Nitin Nabin’s resignation, who is currently a Rajya Sabha MP. “The people of Bankipur are the richest and the most educated in Bihar. Let them vote for the best. If they feel they can repose their trust in me, I urge them to vote for me… Even as the lone MLA of my party, I shall outweigh the remaining 242 ones in the assembly," said Kishor.
The 48-year-old politician reiterated that BJP leader Samrat Choudhary has become the state’s chief minister “without the people’s mandate" because the NDA had won the assembly elections last year with JD(U) president Nitish Kumar leading the coalition in the polls. Also Read: After Jan Suraaj’s Debut Setback, Prashant Kishor To Contest Bankipur Bypoll: ‘Even As Lone MLA, I’ll…’ Nitish Kumar stepped down from the position of chief minister a couple of months ago, after which Samrat Choudhary became the state’s first BJP chief minister. “The upcoming bypoll is going to be a referendum on the working of the two-month-old government of Samrat Choudhary. If the BJP wins, I will have no hesitation in conceding that they continue to enjoy public support. If we win, it shall be for them to read the writing on the wall," stated the former poll strategist. Kishor, who had been hinting at his willingness to contest the bypolls for the last few weeks, said that the formal decision was taken at a meeting of Jan Suraaj Party’s core committee.
The meeting was held after the Election Commission announced the schedule for the by-election last week. The candidates have started filing the nomination papers from Monday, and the last date to file nomination papers is July 13. The voting will take place on July 30, which will be followed by the counting of votes on August 3. The BJP, which has been confident of retaining the seat it has been holding since the 1990s, has not yet declared its candidate. The opposition – comprising RJD, Congress and Left – will also announce their candidate. minister Tej Pratap Yadav, who is leading Janshakti Janata Dal after expulsion from the RJD, has fielded a social activist, Veena Manvi. With inputs from PTI News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Prisha Vibhavari Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news.
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