Bankipur Assembly by-poll: Prashant Kishore & Neeraj Sinha filed nominations (credit: X)
New Delhi: Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founder Prashant Kishore and BJP's last minute changed candidate Neeraj Sinha today filed their papers, on the last day of the nominations, for Bankipur assembly by election in Patna district of Bihar. Bankipur election is turning into a prestige battle for BJP, for various reasons, especially since its national president Nitin Nabin has represented the seat for five times since 2002.
Filing his papers today, Kishore told reporters, "This is not just my naamankhan (nomination) but a call for a political change in Bihar where people with criminal records must give up their chair." Kishore has claimed the present Bankipur contest is a referendum on the NDA government in the state.
The assembly by-election is scheduled for July 30, after Nitin Nabin vacated the seat upon being elected to the Rajya Sabha. Under normal circumstances, this by-election could have been a cakewalk, but with the entry of poll strategist Prashant
Kishore, there is suddenly an upbeat mood in the opposition camp. The BJP leadership also understood the signals and decided not to take any risks. As a first step, it replaced its already announced nomination filed candidate, Abhishek Sinha, with a new candidate Neeraj Sinha at the last minute.
The Bankipur by poll is currently grabbing attention across the country because it has turned into a contest between Prashant Kishore and BJP chief Nitin Nabin. Kishore's JSP suffered a humiliating defeat in 2025 assembly polls in Bihar so much so it could not win a single seat.
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By jumping into the fray, the IPAC founder and political strategist-turned-politician has already made Bankipur much more than a routine contest. Kishore has been sharp and personal in his unsparing criticism of the new Bihar chief minister Samrat Choudhry. In a way, with Nitish Kumar, out of the scene, Prashant Kishore announced that his main rival is not only party chief Nitin Nabin and also chief Minister Samrat Choudhry.
During the last assembly elections in 2025, Kishore has levelled several criminal and corrupt related allegations against Samrat Choudhry. It is said that Kishore said Kishore
has taken a calculated risk by contesting the election from a tough seat. It is also said that this is the better opportunity for Kishore to flex his muscles in the opposition space in the state while the RJD appears low-key and not very active.
