New Delhi: The Jan Suraaj Party on Sunday announced its founder, Prashant Kishor, as its candidate for the Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar, setting
the stage for a closely watched contest in one of the state’s key constituencies.
The decision was announced by the party’s Bihar unit president, Manoj Bharti, after a meeting of the party’s core committee.
The by-election assumes significance as it will be Kishor’s first major electoral contest after the Jan Suraaj Party failed to win any seat in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.
Tej Pratap fields Veena Manvi
Earlier, Janshakti Janata Dal president Tej Pratap Yadav announced Patna-based social activist Veena Manvi as his party’s candidate for the Bankipur bypoll.
Yadav, who served as a minister in Bihar before being expelled from the RJD by party chief Lalu Prasad last year, expressed confidence that his newly formed party would give the ruling NDA a tough fight in the BJP’s traditional stronghold.
“Veena Manvi has been working hard for the assembly segment’s people in her capacity as a social worker. In addition to representing women (‘aadhi aabadi’), she comes from a community which the BJP has always wooed,” Yadav said while referring to the Vaishya community leader.
BJP yet to name candidate
The Bankipur Assembly seat fell vacant after BJP national president Nitin Nabin was elected to the Rajya Sabha.
The BJP has not yet announced its candidate for the bypoll. However, leaders such as Ajay Alok, Neel Ratan Ghosh and Ajeet Kumar Lali are reported to be under consideration.
In the 2025 Assembly elections, Nabin retained the Bankipur seat for a fifth consecutive term. He defeated his nearest RJD rival by a margin of nearly 50,000 votes.
Poll schedule announced
According to the Election Commission, the notification for the by-election will be issued on July 6, marking the start of the nomination process.
Candidates can file nominations until July 13, while scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on July 14. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is July 16.
Polling for the Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat Assembly by-elections will be held on July 30. Votes will be counted on August 3 and the entire election process will conclude by August 4.
The Election Commission said all polling stations will use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines. It added that adequate arrangements have been made to ensure smooth conduct of the elections.
