Patna: Campaigning for the Bankipur Assembly by-election will conclude at 5pm on Tuesday, July 28, bringing to an end nearly a month of electioneering ahead of polling on July 30. After the deadline, all public
campaigning will be prohibited in accordance with Election Commission rules.
The by-election has developed into a closely watched contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Jan Suraaj, while a number of smaller parties and independent candidates have also entered the fray.
What Happened on the Final Day of Campaigning
Political activity intensified across Patna on the final day of campaigning. The BJP and RJD organised roadshows on Monday, while Jan Suraaj workers campaigned in different parts of the constituency, appealing to voters ahead of polling.
With campaigning ending this evening, candidates will shift their focus to booth management and voter outreach within the limits permitted under election rules.
When Will Voting Take Place?
According to the Election Commission’s schedule, voting for the Bankipur Assembly by-election will be held on July 30 from 7am to 6pm.
The district administration has said security arrangements have been strengthened to ensure peaceful polling. Election officials have also issued guidelines for voters and candidates regarding polling day procedures.
When Will the Results Be Announced?
Counting of votes is scheduled for August 3. The Election Commission is expected to announce the result after the counting process is completed.
The outcome will determine which of the three principal contenders secures the Assembly seat.
Who Are the Main Candidates?
The contest is primarily being viewed as a three-way battle between:
- Neeraj Kumar Sinha – BJP
- Prashant Kishor – Jan Suraaj
- Rekha Gupta – RJD
- Tanveer Alam – RLJP
Other Candidates in the Fray
Candidates representing other political parties include:
- Mrityunjay Kumar – Rashtriya Samajhit Dal
- Rambabu Prasad – Rashtriya Garib Dal
- Suraj Yadav – People’s Party of India (Democratic)
- Ashok Kumar – Samata Party
- Manisha Sharma – Rashtriya Apna Dal
- Baijnath Prasad – Bharatiya Jawan Kisan Party
- Pradeep Kumar – Bharatiya Awaam Party
- Vinod Rai – Bihar Justice Party
- Jitendra Dubey – Akhil Bharatiya Jansangh
- Premshankar Prasad – Protist Block India
- Manoranjan Srivastava – Pragatisheel Janata Party
- Niranjan Acharya – Right to Recall Party
- Upendra Sahni – Rashtriya Jansambhavna Party
Independent candidates include:
- Brajesh Patel
- Nitish Kumar
- Sukesh Kumar
- Bagish Nandan
- Abhay Chaudhary
- Sikandar Kumar
- Mithilesh Kumar
- Anil Das
- Lalu Prasad Yadav
The presence of independent candidates sharing the names of well-known political leaders has attracted attention during the campaign.
Why Are Smaller Parties Less Visible?
Political analyst Kaushalendra Priyadarshi said by-elections generally become direct contests between major parties, making it difficult for smaller organisations to justify deploying significant resources for a single constituency.
Another political analyst, Dr Sanjay Kumar, said many regional parties prefer to conserve their organisational strength for the upcoming Assembly election rather than invest heavily in a by-election where their chances of success are limited.
According to Kumar, the support extended by the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party to the BJP, along with the presence of independent candidates and those sharing names with prominent leaders, could influence the distribution of votes in the constituency.
Candidates Whose Nominations Were Cancelled
The Election Commission cancelled the nominations of the following party candidates:
- Veena Manvi – Janshakti Janata Dal
- Radheshyam Gupta – Rashtriya Lok Samta Party
- Naveen Tiwari – Socialist Party (India)
- Rajiv Ranjan Sinha – Rashtravadi Vikas Party
- Gorakh Ram – Bhojpuria Jan Morcha
- Rishikesh Narayan Singh – All India Forward Bloc
- Abhishek Srivastava – Lohia Janata Dal
The nominations of the following independent candidates were also cancelled:
- Priyanshu Raj
- Mahesh Kumar
- Umesh Kumar
- Vinay Jha
- Shiv Gandhi
- Anita Chauhan
What’s Next?
With campaigning ending on July 28, candidates now enter the mandatory silence period before polling on July 30. The focus will shift to voter turnout and election-day management, while political parties await the verdict that will be announced after vote counting on August 3.
