Bihar bypoll: Bankipur byelection counting begins, Prashant Kishor’s electoral debut in focus

Counting of votes for the Bankipur Assembly bypoll in Bihar began at 8 a.m. in Patna on Monday (August 3, 2026), with all eyes on whether debutant Prashant Kishor of Jan Suraaj Party wrests the seat from the BJP.

Read updates from the vote counting for Manjalpur Assembly bypoll in Gujarat

The by-election was necessitated following the resignation of BJP national president Nitin Nabin, who gave up the seat in April upon election to the Rajya Sabha.

“The counting of votes for the Bankipur by-election began amid tight security arrangements,” an official said.

The bypoll, held on July 30, recorded a voter turnout of 34.30%, down by more than seven per cent from the 41.45% registered in the last Assembly elections.

A total of 26 candidates are in the fray this time.

Mr. Nabin had won the Assembly seat for the fifth consecutive time in November 2025, defeating nearest rival Rekha Gupta of the RJD by over 50,000 votes.

The RJD again nominated Mr. Gupta for the by-election.

Prashant Kishor, a former poll strategist who launched the Jan Suraaj Party a few years ago, is contesting his first election, while the BJP, which has never lost the Assembly segment since 1995 when it was known as Patna West, has fielded low-key youth wing leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha.