Patna: Bihar Former Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Parliament House in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost the Bankipur Assembly by-election in Patna.
Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, popularly known as Lalan Singh, and JD(U) Working President Sanjay Jha were also present during the meeting. Nitish Kumar described the interaction as a courtesy call. However, its timing has attracted political attention following the NDA’s defeat in a constituency long regarded as a BJP stronghold.
Discussion Over Bankipur Result
According to reports citing sources, the Prime Minister and Nitish Kumar also discussed the outcome of the Bankipur by-election during the meeting. Neither the BJP nor the JD(U) has officially confirmed whether the by-election result was part of the discussions.
The meeting took place a day after the declaration of results, in which the BJP suffered a significant defeat despite an extensive campaign by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Prashant Kishor Secures Decisive Victory
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor won the Bankipur Assembly by-election by a margin of more than 19,000 votes, defeating BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha.
According to the Election Commission’s results, Kishor secured 64,151 votes, while Sinha received 44,827 votes. Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate Rekha Gupta finished third with 14,273 votes.
Voting for the by-election was held on July 30, and counting took place on August 3. Kishor maintained a lead throughout the counting process before registering a comfortable victory.
Seat Vacated After Nitin Nabin’s Resignation
The Bankipur seat fell vacant after former BJP MLA Nitin Nabin resigned from the Assembly in March 2026.
Nabin, who had represented the constituency for five consecutive terms, stepped down after being appointed BJP’s national president and subsequently elected to the Rajya Sabha.
NDA Campaigned Jointly
The NDA mounted a united campaign in support of BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha. Leaders, ministers, MPs and MLAs from alliance partners, including the JD(U) and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), campaigned together during the election.
Nitish Kumar also released a video appealing to voters to support the BJP candidate. The video later became the subject of political controversy after Prashant Kishor alleged that it had been created using artificial intelligence. JD(U) leaders responded by approaching the police seeking legal action over the claim.
The Bankipur result is being closely watched as a political indicator ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, with the Jan Suraaj Party securing a high-profile victory in a seat previously considered a BJP bastion.
