Prashant Kishor didn't defeat just BJP, but a Lalu Yadav and a Nitish Kumar too

In the Bankipur Assembly bypoll in Bihar, Prashant Kishor did not just defeat the BJP, but also challenged the political prowess of Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar. Kishor, representing the Jan Suraaj Party, emerged victorious with 64,151 votes, breaching the BJP stronghold. He secured 0.06 per cent of the total votes polled and won by a margin of 19,324 votes against Neeraj Kumar, the BJP's last-minute replacement.

Kishor's opponent, Nitish Kumar, an Independent candidate, garnered 149 votes, which was 0.11 per cent of the total votes cast. Both Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar failed to cross the 150-vote mark, losing their security deposits as per Election Commission regulations. A total of 25 candidates, including eight Independents, contested the hotly contested seat.

The bypoll, triggered by the resignation of BJP chief Nitin Nabin after his elevation to the Rajya Sabha, saw Rekha Gupta of the RJD face defeat, garnering only 14,273 votes. The constituency, with nearly 3.8 lakh voters, witnessed a voter turnout of 34.30 per cent in the July 30 polling, significantly lower than the 41.45 per cent turnout in the 2025 Assembly election.