Prashant Kishor, the political strategist who spent years helping other parties win elections, has won his first electoral contest in Bihar's Bankipur assembly constituency. He defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party's Neeraj Kumar Sinha by a margin of 61,075 votes, according to the Election Commission of India. Kishor led from the start, holding a 1,145-vote advantage after the first four rounds of counting before extending it to over 55,000 votes and ultimately winning the seat, a BJP stronghold.
The bypoll was triggered after former BJP legislator Nitin Nabin vacated the Bankipur seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament.
Kishor, known for crafting successful campaigns for various political parties, launched his own political initiative, Jan Suraaj, in October 2024. His campaign was notable for a long walking tour across rural Bihar and for being run without the support of any political alliance. This victory marks his entry into the Bihar Assembly after a career spent in the backrooms of electoral politics.
After the win, Kishor thanked the voters of Bankipur and promised to work for the development of Bihar. He said the people had sent a message to the BJP, indicating that the party must choose leadership in the state that focuses on improving education and creating employment.