Bankipur Bypoll – NDA Projects Unity Behind BJP Candidate Bunty
Bankipur Bypoll – The National Democratic Alliance has expressed confidence of retaining the Bankipur Assembly seat in the July 30 bypoll, with BJP candidate Abhishek Kumar Bunty filing his nomination papers on Thursday. Senior leaders from the BJP and its NDA partners joined the nomination process, presenting a united front ahead of the high-profile contest in Patna.
NDA leaders underline joint campaign strategy
Former Union minister and BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said the alliance was fully prepared to campaign together for Bunty. He described Bankipur as a traditional BJP stronghold and said the party expected strong support from voters across the constituency.
Prasad said the presence of leaders from different NDA constituents during the nomination reflected the alliance’s coordination. He added that the BJP would seek a decisive mandate from the electorate and continue its organisational outreach in the area.
Opposition entry welcomed by Bihar minister
Bihar minister Ashok Choudhary welcomed Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor’s decision to contest the election directly. Without naming any party, he said it was preferable for political leaders to face voters themselves rather than guide campaigns from outside the field.
Choudhary said the NDA would take its record of public work to voters during the campaign. He also referred to the political legacy of former Bankipur MLA Nitin Nabin and his family, saying their connection with local residents and party workers had remained strong over the years.
According to Choudhary, Nabin entered active politics after the death of his father and built his public profile through regular engagement with constituents. He said the alliance would seek votes on the basis of its work and relationship with the people of Bankipur.
LJP (Ram Vilas) backs BJP nominee
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary also attended the nomination event and voiced confidence in the NDA’s prospects. She said the alliance considered it important to retain the seat, which had been represented by Nitin Nabin for many years.
She said the nomination meeting marked the beginning of a coordinated campaign by NDA partners. The alliance, she added, would work across the constituency to ensure that BJP candidate Abhishek Kumar Bunty receives broad public support.
BJP candidate highlights development record
Abhishek Kumar Bunty said the BJP would reach households across Bankipur and inform voters about development programmes and welfare measures carried out by the party’s leadership. He said the campaign would focus on the work done in the constituency and the wider record of the BJP-led government.
The BJP nominee said party workers would engage directly with residents during the campaign period. He added that the organisation would highlight initiatives related to infrastructure, public services and welfare schemes while seeking a fresh mandate.
Vacancy followed Nitin Nabin’s Rajya Sabha election
The Bankipur Assembly seat fell vacant after Nitin Nabin resigned as an MLA following his election to the Rajya Sabha in April. Nabin had represented the constituency since 2006 and was regarded as one of the BJP’s prominent leaders in the region.
His departure from the Assembly created the need for a bypoll, drawing attention from major political parties in Bihar. The contest is expected to test the organisational strength of the NDA as well as the ability of new political formations to make an impact in an urban constituency.
Prashant Kishor enters the race
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor has also announced that he will contest the Bankipur by-election. He has described the poll as a public assessment of the BJP-led government’s performance in Bihar and appealed to voters to support change.
Addressing party workers, Kishor said the constituency’s nearly four lakh voters would have an opportunity to express their views through the ballot. His entry is likely to make the Bankipur contest more closely watched, with campaigning expected to intensify in the days ahead.