Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founder Prashant Kishor has registered his maiden electoral victory by winning the Bankipur Assembly bypoll in Bihar, ending the BJP’s long dominance in the constituency. The former election strategist defeated BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar by a margin of 19,324 votes, marking the first Assembly seat won by both Kishor and his party.

According to Election Commission data, Kishor secured 64,151 votes, while Neeraj Kumar polled 44,827 votes. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Rekha Kumari finished third with 14,273 votes.

Prashant Kishor promises visible changes in Bankipur

After the victory, Prashant Kishor thanked the voters and assured them that development work would begin immediately.

Addressing reporters, he said people would witness visible changes in Bankipur within three months and requested residents to give him that time. He also said his office would remain open not only for the people of Bankipur but for everyone in Bihar.

Kishor described the victory as significant, saying his party had managed to end what he called the BJP’s three-decade hold over the constituency in just 30 days of campaigning.

Says Bihar voters have sent a message to BJP

Speaking after the results, Kishor said the people of Bihar had conveyed a message to the BJP’s central leadership that the state needed a chief minister focused on improving education and creating employment opportunities. He also said voters wanted leadership with a clean public image.

Bihar Chief Minister congratulates Kishor

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary congratulated Prashant Kishor on his victory through a post on X.

He said the people had chosen Jan Suraaj in the Bankipur Assembly by-election and extended his congratulations while respecting the democratic verdict.

Why the Bankipur bypoll drew national attention

The Bankipur by-election attracted national attention for several reasons. The constituency has long been considered a BJP stronghold and was represented for multiple terms by senior BJP leader Nitin Nabin, who vacated the seat after moving to the Rajya Sabha.

The contest also gained prominence after Prashant Kishor entered the fray and came in the backdrop of nationwide student protests centred around education-related issues. Political observers had closely watched whether young voters would influence the outcome in the urban Patna constituency.

The BJP also witnessed a last-minute change in candidate after Abhishek Kumar Sinha withdrew before filing his nomination, following which the party fielded youth wing leader Neeraj Kumar. The RJD nominated Rekha Kumari.

Jan Suraaj opens its electoral account

The victory marks a milestone for the Jan Suraaj Party, which had failed to win any seats in the 2025 Bihar Assembly election. Kishor himself had not contested that election.

With the Bankipur result, Jan Suraaj has opened its electoral account, while Kishor has entered the Bihar Assembly for the first time.

Reacting to the outcome, Jan Suraaj’s Bihar chief Manoj Bharti said the people of Bankipur had voted for change. He claimed the party received support across different sections of society and thanked what he described as the party’s “silent voters” for helping secure the victory.

A video showing senior Congress leader Nana Patole’s feet being washed during a Guru Purnima event has triggered a political controversy in Maharashtra, with the BJP criticising the ritual and the Congress leader defending it as a family tradition.

The viral clip shows Mr Patole seated on a sofa while two men wash his feet, shower flowers on him and place fruits near his feet as part of the ceremony. The incident quickly drew attention on social media and prompted sharp reactions from political leaders.

BJP calls it ‘Congress culture’

Reacting to the video, Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the incident reflected the “culture of Congress leaders”.

He said such acts only invite criticism and negative publicity, adding that Congress leaders should learn from similar controversies instead of repeating them.

Nana Patole defends Guru Purnima ritual

Responding to the criticism, Mr Patole rejected the allegations and said he neither instructed nor compelled anyone to perform the ritual.

According to the Congress leader, the ceremony took place on Guru Purnima when two younger members of his family voluntarily chose to honour him as their Guru.

He said they insisted on performing the ritual as a mark of respect.

Congress leader hits back at BJP

Mr Patole also countered the BJP’s criticism, saying the party had no authority to lecture others on culture and traditions.

In an apparent reference to the alleged Ram temple donation theft case, he remarked that those who “loot donation funds” should not advise others on cultural values.

The exchange has added to the political sparring between the BJP and the Congress in Maharashtra, with the viral video continuing to generate debate on social media.

The counting of votes is underway for Assembly by-elections in three BJP-ruled states—Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat—in what is being seen as the first electoral test since nationwide student protests over alleged examination paper leaks.

The bypolls were held on Thursday in Bihar’s Bankipur, Madhya Pradesh’s Datia and Gujarat’s Manjalpur Assembly constituencies. Political observers are watching the outcome closely as the results are expected to offer an indication of voter sentiment, particularly among young voters who participated in or were influenced by the protests.

Bankipur contest draws attention amid BJP candidate change

The Bankipur Assembly seat in Bihar has traditionally been considered a BJP stronghold, with the party retaining the constituency in every election so far. The bypoll was necessitated after former MLA and BJP leader Nitin Nabin was elected to the Rajya Sabha.

The contest attracted attention after the BJP’s original nominee, Abhishek Kumar Sinha, withdrew from the race a day after filing his nomination, citing family reasons. The party later fielded its youth wing leader, Neeraj Kumar Sinha.

The opposition seized on the development, claiming the BJP was concerned about retaining the seat. Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav expressed confidence that his party’s candidate, Rekha Gupta, had secured support across different communities and could deliver an unexpected result.

The election also marked the anticipated electoral entry of political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, adding further interest to the contest.

Datia sees straight BJP-Congress fight

In Madhya Pradesh, the Datia Assembly seat fell vacant after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified on April 2 under provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The BJP has fielded first-time Assembly candidate Ashutosh Tiwari against Congress nominee Kunwar Ghanshyam Singh.

Datia has long been associated with former state Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who represented the constituency for three consecutive terms between 2008 and 2018 before losing the 2023 Assembly election. The selection of a new BJP candidate reportedly led to protests by some of Mishra’s supporters.

Congress candidate Kunwar Ghanshyam Singh, a two-time former MLA and member of the erstwhile royal family, is banking on his previous electoral victories, personal connect with voters and dissatisfaction among sections of BJP workers.

Manjalpur bypoll follows veteran BJP MLA’s death

In Gujarat, voting took place in the Manjalpur Assembly constituency after the death of sitting BJP MLA Yogeshbhai Narandas Patel.

The contest is between BJP candidate Satish Govindbhai Patel, a former Vadodara Municipal Corporation councillor, and Congress leader Bhikhabhai Rabari, a former state minister and Gujarat Congress vice president.

Yogesh Patel had represented the Raopura Assembly constituency five times before shifting to the newly created Manjalpur seat after delimitation. He went on to win Manjalpur in 2012, 2017 and 2022, completing eight consecutive Assembly election victories over a span of 36 years.

The bypoll comes after the BJP’s record performance in the 2022 Gujarat Assembly elections, when the party won 156 of the state’s 182 seats.