Bankipur – Tej Pratap Yadav Extends Support to Prashant Kishor Before By-Election

Bankipur –Ahead of the upcoming Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar, Janashakti Janata Dal (JJD) president Tej Pratap Yadav announced his party’s support for Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, saying that the constituency deserves to elect the most suitable representative. The announcement adds a fresh political dimension to the closely watched contest, where several parties have intensified their campaign efforts. Addressing reporters, Yadav remarked that rainfall began shortly after the declaration of support and expressed hope that the deserving candidate would secure victory in the election.

Prashant Kishor Takes on BJP’s Long-Standing Stronghold

The Bankipur seat has remained under the Bharatiya Janata Party’s control for more than 15 years, making it one of the party’s established constituencies in Bihar. Since 2010, the constituency has been represented by Nitin Nabin. By entering the contest, Prashant Kishor is attempting to challenge the BJP’s uninterrupted dominance in the seat. Political observers consider the election an important test for Kishor’s growing political movement as he seeks to establish a stronger presence in the state’s electoral landscape.

Tej Pratap Appeals for Wider Opposition Cooperation

In addition to backing Prashant Kishor, Tej Pratap Yadav also appealed to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate, Rekha Gupta, to extend support to the alliance he is backing. Speaking to the media, he said that cooperation from other opposition leaders would strengthen their efforts in the Bankipur bypoll. His appeal comes as political parties continue exploring possible strategies to improve their electoral prospects in the constituency.

BJP Intensifies Campaign Ahead of Voting

The Bharatiya Janata Party has also stepped up its campaign in Bankipur. Popular singer and BJP Member of the Legislative Council Pawan Singh visited the constituency to campaign for the party’s nominee, Neeraj Kumar Sinha. During his public outreach, Singh described Sinha as a member of his family and appealed to local voters to extend their blessings and support. His campaign visit reflects the BJP’s efforts to retain the constituency despite growing political competition.

Reason Behind the By-Election

The by-election for the 182-Bankipur Assembly constituency became necessary after former MLA Nitin Nabin resigned from the Bihar Legislative Assembly following his election to the Rajya Sabha in March. Initially, the BJP had announced Abhishek Kumar Sinha as its candidate for the seat. However, he later withdrew from the contest due to personal family reasons. The party subsequently named Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its official candidate for the bypoll.

Election Commission Schedule for the Bypolls

The Election Commission of India announced the schedule for Assembly by-elections in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat on July 2. The Bankipur constituency is among the three Assembly seats where polling is scheduled. According to the election timetable, nominations were accepted until July 13, while scrutiny of nomination papers was conducted on July 14. Candidates were permitted to withdraw their nominations until July 16.

Voting for the Bankipur Assembly constituency, along with Datia in Madhya Pradesh and Manjalpur in Gujarat, is scheduled to take place on July 30. The counting of votes will be conducted on August 3, when the results for all three by-elections are expected to be declared.