- By Shubham Bajpai
- Sun, 05 Jul 2026 03:39 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Prashant Kishore to contest Bankipur assembly bypoll.
- Jan Suraaj Party officially fields PK for bypoll.
- PK challenges BJP in its Bankipur assembly stronghold.
Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishore will blow the bugle for the Bankipur assembly bypoll in Bihar with an announcement to contest from the constituency in what is an apparent challenge to the BJP, as the seat is a traditional stronghold of the saffron party, held by its national president Nitin Nabin until his election to the Rajya Sabha this year.
His name was formally approved at the party's core committee meeting on Sunday, and the announcement was made after the press conference held thereafter.
JSP leaders declared Kishore as the official candidate of Jan Suraj for the Bankipur assembly by-election.
There was discussion in the political circles for the last several days about Kishore's potential candidature. With PK, the most influential party leader, Jan Suraaj would also be looking to open its account in Bihar, as the party had contested 238 in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections and had failed to secure even a single seat.
The statewide voting percentage was 3.4 per cent, and on 236, the party lost its security deposit.
The Bankipur assembly seat has long been considered a stronghold of the BJP. It has been consistently represented by BJP National President Nitin Naveen since 2010.
After his victory in the 2025 polls, he was included in the Nitish Kumar cabinet. However, the party elected him its national president. The party also made him the Rajya Sabha candidate, after which he tendered his resignation from the Bihar Legislative Assembly.
Who all are contesting Bankipur?
The BJP has fielded Neel Ratan Ghosh as its candidate. Tej Pratap Yadav's party, Janshakti Janta Dal (JJD) has also announced its candidate, Veena Manvi. The RJD, prime opposition party in Bihar, is yet to announce its candidate.