Arvind Sharma, New Delhi: Bihar's Bankipur Assembly seat, which remained a hotspot in state politics for the last few weeks, is set to go to bypolls on Thursday.

The bypoll is Bankipur is more than just an election but a litmus test for the ruling BJP and the Opposition. The bypoll will decide who will emerge as the next axis of the Opposition in the state.

Make-or-Break moment for PK

For Jan Suraaj Party and Prashant Kishor, the challenge is double. While the first challenge is to prove its relevance as an opposition party in Bihar, the second and most important is to keep the influence of Kishor intact by winning the bypoll.

This is the final political test for the strategist-turned-politician. A defeat could deal a serious blow to his political prospects. He has been working for the past four years to develop an alternative political landscape through the Jan Suraj Abhiyan (People's Suraj Campaign). Therefore, this election could be a do-or-die battle.

Triple test for BJP

For the BJP, the bypoll is a test for its organisational strength, its first-ever government with party CM and its national president Nitin Nabin, who is leading the first-ever poll under his command as party chief and that too on his home turf. A defeat could prove to be a serious blow to the party and Nabin.

The seat fell vacant after Nabin was elected by the BJP as its national chief and subsequently he was elected to Rajya Sabha.

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Tejashwi's test to prove himself as undisputed opposition face

Tejashwi Yadav, who just returned from a two-week tour of Europe amid political turmoil, also faces the challenge of remaining the undisputed face of the opposition in Bihar. Clearly, the Bankipur result will answer many political questions simultaneously.

With Lalu Yadav's political retreat, the entire responsibility of the opposition alliance rests with Tejashwi Yadav. He remains the most prominent face of anti-BJP politics in Bihar.

If the RJD manages to maintain its support base, Tejashwi's position will remain strong, but a strong performance by Prashant Kishor is sure to spark a new debate about the leadership of the opposition.

The question will also arise as to who can challenge the BJP in the future elections.

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Congress

Congress's indifference in Bankipur is being seen as a sign of non-cooperation with the RJD. Prashant Kishor has also hinted several times that new political possibilities could emerge in Bihar with Congress and other smaller parties disappointed with the RJD.

In this election too, Prashant seems to be trying to break into the RJD's traditional vote bank. If he succeeds, the Congress may also be more likely to join him.

Prominent candidates in fray

  • BJP: Neeraj Kumar Sinha
  • RJD: Rekha Kumari Gupta
  • JSP: Prashant Kishor