Patna: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has rolled out an extensive four-layer election strategy for the high-profile Bankipur Assembly bypoll in Bihar, as Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor intensifies his campaign in the constituency represented by BJP national president Nitin Nabin.
The by-election has become a prestige battle for the BJP, particularly after the party changed its candidate during the nomination process, prompting the leadership to strengthen its organisational campaign. BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha is contesting the seat.
According to party leaders, Nitin Nabin is personally leading the campaign, with the organisation relying heavily on booth-level management, micro-targeting of voters and a large deployment of party workers and elected representatives.
Booth-Level Micro-Management at the Core
The BJP’s first layer of strategy focuses on booth-level outreach, with booth presidents and Booth Level Agents (BLA-2) tasked with maintaining direct contact with voters.
Party functionaries say each booth president is responsible for around 1,100 to 1,200 voters, while BLA-2 workers monitor voter lists, identify new voters, collect local feedback and report daily developments to party leadership. The information is used to fine-tune campaign strategies.
According to BJP leaders, the party believes elections are won through sustained voter engagement at the booth level rather than large public rallies.
Shakti Kendras Monitoring Every Cluster
As part of the second layer of its strategy, the BJP has divided the Bankipur Assembly constituency into around 60 to 65 Shakti Kendras, with each centre overseeing approximately five polling booths.
These centres are responsible for distributing voter slips, reviewing electoral rolls, deploying workers, coordinating polling-day preparations and monitoring campaign activities.
Party leaders said daily reports from every booth are compiled and sent to mandal-level leadership for assessment.
Ten Mandal Offices Overseeing Campaign
The constituency has also been divided into 10 mandals, each with a dedicated BJP office responsible for coordinating the work of Shakti Kendras and booth committees.
According to party functionaries, continuous feedback from booth-level workers is forwarded to district and state leadership, allowing the organisation to make real-time adjustments to its election strategy.
Over 50 MLAs and MLCs Deployed
In the fourth layer of its campaign, the BJP has deployed more than 50 MLAs and Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) across the constituency.
The legislators have been assigned specific Shakti Kendras and instructed to conduct door-to-door campaigns, hold pocket meetings, interact with local opinion leaders and monitor organisational activities.
Party leaders said outreach is also being tailored according to the demographic composition of neighbourhoods, with leaders from specific communities assigned to areas where those communities have a significant voter presence.
Kumhrar BJP MLA Sanjay Gupta said the party was making every effort to secure a comfortable victory in what he described as an important constituency for the BJP.
Voters Categorised into Four Groups
The BJP has also classified voters into four categories as part of its micro-management strategy:
- Category A: Committed BJP supporters.
- Category B: Non-members who are considered BJP sympathisers.
- Category C: Undecided voters with no clear political preference.
- Category D: Voters who are not BJP supporters.
Party workers said campaign efforts are being customised based on this classification, with greater focus on undecided voters and areas requiring additional outreach.
Prashant Kishor Emerges as Major Challenger
BJP leaders acknowledge that Prashant Kishor has emerged as a significant challenger in the Bankipur by-election.
The Jan Suraaj leader has been actively campaigning for several weeks, particularly targeting urban and educated voters through extensive door-to-door outreach and public interactions.
Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Rekha Kumari has continued campaigning, although senior RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is currently abroad. Party leaders expect the RJD’s campaign to gain momentum after his reported return later this week.
BJP Focuses on Maximising Voter Turnout
The BJP’s strategy is aimed not only at strengthening booth-level organisation but also at increasing voter turnout in Bankipur, where polling percentages have traditionally remained relatively low.
Party leaders said the extensive network of booth committees, Shakti Kendras, voter assistance centres and elected representatives is intended to ensure that identified supporters are mobilised and brought to polling stations on election day, maximising the party’s electoral prospects.
