Prashant Kishor leads Bankipur bypoll count, challenging BJP

Prashant Kishor Bankipur bypoll Jan Suraaj Party BJP police bias complaint

The Bankipur Assembly by‑poll in Bihar, triggered by the resignation of BJP leader Nitin Nabin after his election to the Rajya Sabha, began vote counting on 3 August 2026 at 08:00 IST. Early results showed Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor ahead of BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha by about 862 votes (2,225 vs 1,363), with RJD’s Rekha Kumari/Gupta in third place.

Kishor has lodged a formal complaint with Bihar Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, alleging that senior police officials intimidated voters and detained Jan Suraaj workers, calling the actions “high‑handed”. The CEO said an inquiry would be ordered.

Parallel by‑elections in Datia (Madhya Pradesh) and Manjalpur (Gujarat) also started counting, with the BJP maintaining leads in those seats. Security arrangements were tight across all three constituencies, and voter turnout in Bankipur was reported at roughly 34 percent.

Entities: Ashutosh Tiwari · Bankipur Assembly constituency · Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) · Election Commission of India · Jan Suraaj · Jan Suraaj Party · Kartikeya Sharma · Nitin Nabin · Prashant Kishor · Vinod Singh Gunjiyal

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 2 SOURCES] Jan Suraaj Party was founded by former election strategist Prashant Kishor. (multiple articles)
[● 2 SOURCES] The Bankipur Assembly by‑poll was held because BJP leader Nitin Nabin resigned after being elected to the Rajya Sabha. (multiple articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] Early counting showed Prashant Kishor leading Neeraj Kumar Sinha by 862 votes (2,225 vs 1,363). (multiple articles)
[● 2 SOURCES] Bankipur by‑poll voter turnout was reported at about 34 percent. (multiple articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] Vote counting for the Bankipur by‑poll began on 3 August 2026 at 08:00 IST. (multiple articles)
[● 2 SOURCES] Prashant Kishor filed a complaint with Bihar Chief Electoral Officer alleging police intimidation of Jan Suraaj workers. (multiple articles)
[● 2 SOURCES] By‑elections were also held in Datia (Madhya Pradesh) and Manjalpur (Gujarat), where the BJP was leading. (multiple articles)