Bankipur is a BJP bastion. Prashant Kishor tells why he didn't look for a safe seat

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Monday said he deliberately chose to contest the Bankipur Assembly bypoll - a constituency that has been a BJP stronghold for over a decade - instead of looking for a "safe seat". He argued that Bihar's politics would change only when voters move beyond caste and religion.

Kishor, who is making his electoral debut, said his decision was meant to reinforce the political message he has been taking across Bihar through the Jan Suraaj campaign.

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Why Bankipur?

Kishor, former election strategist, said most politicians prefer to begin their electoral careers in constituencies where victory is easier. He said he had chosen the opposite path.

"When people start their electoral politics, they look for safe seats for themselves. I am doing the opposite because I am telling the people of Bihar that if Bihar is to change, they must vote beyond caste and religion," he said while speaking to news agency ANI. "They must stop voting out of fear of Lalu for the BJP, or fear of the BJP for Lalu."

He said he was contesting from this tough seat to prove the point that he was contesting from a place where votes should not be sought in the name of caste or religion.

Bankipur, which falls under the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, has long been one of the BJP's safest urban seats in Bihar. It was represented by BJP leader Nitin Nabin from 2010 until this year, while before him the constituency was held by his father, Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha.

The seat fell vacant after Nitin Nabin resigned from the Assembly following his election to the Rajya Sabha. He stepped down as MLA on March 30 and was sworn in as a Rajya Sabha member from Bihar on April 16.

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'A new political order'

Kishor has also sought to frame the bypoll as a contest with implications beyond a single Assembly seat.

Addressing supporters on Sunday, he said, "We do not view the Bankipur bypoll as merely an election to choose an MLA. It is not about making or toppling a government, nor is it simply about electing an MLA. It is an election to shape a new political order in Bihar. The decision rests with the people."

Kishor said the most prosperous and politically aware voters in Bihar live in Bankipur, and they must decide whether they want to usher in change in Bihar or whether they are satisfied with the current system.

In another appeal, he said, "This election is not merely about electing an MLA from Bankipur; it is not about forming or toppling a government. It is an election to establish a new political order in Bihar--to usher in a new kind of politics in the state. It is both significant and challenging. However, I am confident that the most enlightened voters of Bihar will make the right decision and cast their votes in a way that initiates a new political order in the state."

BJP's fortress

Bankipur has consistently backed the BJP in recent elections.

In the 2020 Assembly election, Nitin Nabin won the seat with 83,068 votes, securing 59.05% of the vote share and defeating Congress candidate Luv Sinha, who received 44,032 votes.

In 2015, Nabin secured 86,759 votes, accounting for 60.19% of the vote share. He retained the constituency again in the 2025 Assembly election, defeating RJD candidate Rekha Kumari by a margin of 51,936 votes, further cementing Bankipur's reputation as one of the BJP's strongest bastions in Bihar.

Bypoll schedule

Polling for the Bankipur bypoll will be held on July 30. Scrutiny of nomination papers is scheduled for July 14, while the last date for withdrawal of nominations is July 16. Voting will take place between 7 am and 6 pm, and the election process will conclude on August 4.

BJP hits back at Kishor 

Reacting to Kishor's candidature, Union Minister Giriraj Singh alleged that the Jan Suraaj chief's politics had been exposed. "They have started hurling abuse at the BJP workers. Their business of falsehoods has come to an end. Their true face has been exposed; that is why their shop has shut down ahead of the general election," he told reporters.

Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi expressed confidence that the NDA would retain the seat.

"The announcement for the Bankipur by-election has been made. The election is on July 30. Other parties will also contest the election with their candidates. The people of Bankipur are going to express their gratitude to the top leadership of the BJP in this election. They will ensure victory for the NDA candidate with a massive majority," he said.