Patna: The Rashtriya Janata Dal has officially announced Rekha Gupta as its candidate for the upcoming Bankipur assembly bypoll. This decision ends all speculations regarding the Mahagathbandhan potentially supporting Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor as a joint opposition face against the Bharatiya Janata Party. State RJD president Mangani Lal Mandal confirmed the nomination to reporters in Patna and stated that her selection was a unanimous decision by the grand alliance.
The Bankipur assembly seat fell vacant following the resignation of BJP MLA and national president Nitin Nabin who was recently elevated to the Rajya Sabha. Historically considered a BJP stronghold for nearly three decades the constituency is now gearing up for a highly anticipated electoral battle. Rekha Gupta is a familiar political face in the area having previously contested the November 2025 assembly elections from Bankipur where she secured an impressive count of over 46,000 votes.
However this sudden announcement has emerged as a significant setback for certain sections within the allied Congress party. Several Congress functionaries were reportedly in favour of backing political strategist turned politician Prashant Kishor to perfectly consolidate opposition votes. Dismissing these internal differences Mandal clarified that the RJD had received no such formal proposal from the Congress high command. He further asserted that the RJD is not claiming any seat where an ally had been the principal contender in the past.
Adding a dramatic twist to the regional political landscape Prashant Kishor recently declared his intention to contest the Bankipur seat himself marking his official electoral debut. Kishor has notably described this bypoll as a crucial referendum on the newly formed state government.
With Gupta commanding an established voter base and Kishor entering the fray the contest has widened significantly beyond a traditional bipolar rivalry. While former minister Tej Pratap Yadav has backed social activist Veena Manvi the BJP is yet to announce its official candidate to defend its home turf. With nominations currently underway and voting scheduled for July 30 the political temperature in Bihar continues to rise rapidly.