Patna: The by election in Bihar’s Bankipur Assembly constituency has set the stage for a high profile political contest, with the Election Commission announcing the schedule and parties beginning their candidate selection exercise. The seat, considered one of the most discussed urban constituencies in the state, is likely to witness a direct political battle between the BJP and Jan Suraaj if Prashant Kishor enters the fray.
According to indications from Jan Suraaj, party founder Prashant Kishor is almost certain to contest from Bankipur, though the final decision will be taken at the party’s core committee meeting on July 5. The party is also expected to officially announce its candidate on the same day.
If Kishor contests, the by election will be seen not merely as a contest for one Assembly seat, but as a test of Jan Suraaj’s political strength against the BJP’s long established urban support base. After Jan Suraaj’s poor performance in the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls, Kishor is expected to use the Bankipur contest to revive the party’s political momentum.
Bankipur has remained a strong BJP bastion for more than four decades. The seat fell vacant after Nitin Naveen resigned following his appointment as BJP national president. The BJP is unlikely to take any risk in a constituency that has consistently backed the party.
The constituency is largely urban, with a significant presence of educated, middle class and business community voters. The Kayastha community has influence here, while Vaishya, Bhumihar, Brahmin, Rajput, Yadav, Kurmi, extremely backward classes, Dalit and Muslim voters also play a role in shaping the result.
Among the names being discussed in the BJP, Neel Ratan Ghosh is seen as a strong contender. He has been associated with the party for a long time and is considered close to Nitin Naveen. Ghosh belongs to the Kayastha community, which strengthens his claim.
Another key name is BJP national spokesperson Dr Ajay Alok. A doctor by profession, he has contested elections earlier on Lok Janshakti Party and Bahujan Samaj Party tickets before joining the JD(U) in 2012 and later moving to the BJP. His Kayastha background and aggressive media presence make him another possible choice.
Ashish Sinha, son of former Bankipur MLA and senior BJP leader Arun Sinha, is also in the race. Ritu Jaiswal, who recently joined the BJP after leaving the RJD, is being discussed as a possible woman candidate from the Vaishya community.
The RJD is not being seen as very strong on this urban seat. Meanwhile, Tej Pratap Yadav’s Janshakti Janata Dal has fielded social worker Meena Manvi. The last date for nomination is July 13, polling will be held on July 30 and results will be declared on August 3.