PATNA: In a stunning political development, Jan Suraaj (JS) founder Prashant Kishor has secured a decisive lead of over 6,000 votes after the 10th round of counting in the Bankipur assembly by-election on Monday.This performance positions the poll strategist-turned-politician to breach the long-standing bastion of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This by-election has emerged as a high-stakes litmus test for alternative politics in Bihar.The Bankipur Assembly constituency, previously known as the Patna Paschim (West) seat, has stood as an unassailable fort for the BJP since 1995.The current by-election was necessitated after the sitting MLA, Nitin Nabin, who also serves as the BJP National President, vacated his position following his election to the Rajya Sabha.The BJP fielded youth wing leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha, hoping to preserve their nearly three-decade dominance.However, the current trends indicate an immense shift in voter sentiment. Kishor’s imminent victory delivers a severe blow to the ruling camp, considering the segment is Nabin’s traditional family stronghold.This development marks a drastic transformation from the November 2025 Assembly elections. During that general election, Nitin Nabin comfortably won the seat for a fifth consecutive term.According to data, Nabin had secured 98,299 votes (63.25% share), routing his closest rival, Rekha Gupta of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), by a massive margin of over 51,000 votes.
