Patna: As the Bankipur Assembly by-election entered its crucial counting phase on Monday, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor maintained an early lead over the BJP’s Neeraj Sinha, prompting celebrations among his supporters while keeping political observers focused on one of Bihar’s most closely watched electoral contests.
According to counting trends available after 14 rounds, Kishor had secured 28,201 votes, leading Neeraj Sinha by 7,781 votes. The figures were based on counting updates and remained subject to official confirmation as the process continued.
Slow Counting Keeps Political Camps On Edge
The pace of counting became a talking point during the day, with party workers describing the process as slower than expected.
Jan Suraaj leaders and workers monitored developments from the party’s war room at Abdul Hai Complex, while supporters remained stationed outside the counting centre at AN College.
“The counting is slow. Normally, around 20 rounds of EVM counting are completed by around 2pm, but only 11 rounds have been completed so far. We are closely monitoring every development,” a Jan Suraaj worker said.
Party sources said Prashant Kishor had remained at his residence near the party office in Pataliputra throughout the counting process and had not made any public appearance.
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Celebrations Begin At Jan Suraaj Office
Despite the counting still being underway, celebrations had begun at the Jan Suraaj office in Pataliputra.
Supporters gathered outside the party headquarters and the counting centre, raising slogans in support of Kishor and congratulating one another by applying gulal.
Many workers described the early trends as a potential turning point in Bihar politics.
Some supporters said a victory for Jan Suraaj would mark “the beginning of a new political chapter” for both Bankipur and the state.
BJP Fortress Faces Tough Challenge
The Bankipur constituency has long been regarded as one of the BJP’s strongest urban bastions, with the party dominating the seat for nearly three decades.
Prashant Kishor’s strong showing in the early rounds has transformed the contest into one of the most closely watched political battles in Bihar, raising questions about whether Jan Suraaj can convert its lead into an electoral breakthrough.
However, with several rounds of counting still remaining, the final outcome remained uncertain, and political parties continued to await the Election Commission’s official round-wise results before drawing conclusions.
