By-Election – Congress Edges Ahead in Datia as Bankipur Race Favors Kishor
By-Election – The counting of votes for key Assembly by-elections gathered pace on Monday, with early trends showing close contests in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.
The battle for the Datia Assembly by-election in Madhya Pradesh turned increasingly competitive as Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh moved ahead of BJP nominee Ashutosh Tiwari after the fourth round of counting. According to the latest figures released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), Singh secured 17,290 votes, giving him an advantage of 833 votes over Tiwari, who had polled 16,457 votes.
Datia Contest Witnesses Shift in Early Trend
The latest development marks a reversal from the opening round, when the BJP candidate enjoyed a lead of more than 1,100 votes. As additional rounds of counting progressed, the Congress candidate gradually narrowed the gap before taking the lead.
Speaking during the counting process, Ghanshyam Singh expressed confidence that his margin would continue to increase. He said the lead had already improved significantly over successive rounds and expected it to cross the 1,000-vote mark as more ballots were counted.
Singh also addressed speculation regarding the role of senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra. He clarified that Mishra had not extended any direct support to his campaign. However, he claimed that several BJP workers who were dissatisfied with their own party quietly backed his candidature during the election.
Prashant Kishor Maintains Lead in Bankipur
In Bihar, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor continued to hold a comfortable lead in the Bankipur Assembly by-election as counting entered the sixth round. Election Commission data showed Kishor receiving 11,603 votes, putting him ahead of his nearest rival by 3,451 votes.
The Bankipur constituency has long been regarded as one of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s strongest urban seats. The constituency falls within the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha segment and has remained under BJP representation for several years.
Kishor Reiterates Campaign Message
During the campaign, Prashant Kishor repeatedly stated that he had intentionally chosen Bankipur instead of a politically easier constituency. According to him, the decision was meant to encourage voters to move beyond caste-based and religious considerations while casting their ballots.
He had also appealed to the electorate not to vote out of fear of either the BJP or Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad Yadav. Kishor maintained that meaningful political change in Bihar would only be possible when voters focused on governance and development rather than traditional social divisions.
Background of the By-Elections
The Election Commission of India had issued the notification for these Assembly by-elections on July 6, with polling conducted on July 30. Voting took place in three constituencies: Bankipur in Bihar, Manjalpur in Gujarat, and Datia in Madhya Pradesh.
The Bankipur seat became vacant after BJP leader Nitin Nabin resigned from the Bihar Legislative Assembly on March 30, 2026. His resignation created the need for a fresh election in the constituency, which has historically remained a BJP stronghold. Before Nitin Nabin, the seat was represented by his father, Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha.
In Madhya Pradesh, the Datia Assembly constituency required a by-election following the disqualification of Rajendra Bharti on April 2, 2026. According to the Election Commission, the action was taken under the provisions of Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, along with Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution of India.
With counting still underway, the final outcome in Datia remains undecided, while Bankipur continues to show an early advantage for Prashant Kishor based on the latest available Election Commission figures.