ELECTION STRATEGIST-TURNED-POLITICIAN Prashant Kishor is set to contest by-elections from Bihar's Bankipur Assembly seat, a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for decades, Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) chief Manoj Bharti announced here on Sunday.

This marks the first official confirmation of Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor throwing his hat in the ring, ending days of speculation about whether he will challenge the BJP in its long-held bastion.

Earlier, now BJP national President Nitin Nabin won this seat by a significant margin in the Bihar Assembly elections. The Bankipur Assembly seat has been consistently won by the BJP for decades.

The polls were necessitated after Nitin Nabin quit his Assembly membership and moved to the Rajya Sabha.

Addressing media persons here, Prashant Kishor said that the party will fight the by-election with full conviction and vigour, stating that the party’s victory will lay the foundation for the beginning of "alternative politics" in the state.

"For the past four years, Jan Suraaj has been my life, and for the next ten years, until the vision of change in Bihar is achieved, I have no other purpose. I consider the responsibility of contesting the Bankipur by-election as a step towards that goal. Thousands and millions of people were connected with the ideas and efforts of Jan Suraaj in November 2025. After the results, many felt disappointed or discouraged. Most of them believe that if Jan Suraaj wins the Bankipur by-election, it will not only strengthen the movement but also help revive the vision of change in Bihar. I accept this responsibility with humility and thank all my colleagues, workers, and leaders," Kishor said.

He also expressed gratitude to partymen and leaders for placing the responsibility and trust on his shoulders.

Voting for the Bankipur by-polls is slated for July 30, and the results will be declared on August 3. All political parties are busy with preparations for the by-elections.

The Congress has already voiced its opinion of backing Kishor in the elections, while all eyes are now on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on whether it will throw its weight behind the JSP leader in the bid to snatch the seat, long-held by the BJP.

--IANS

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