Prashant Kishor calls upcoming by-election at Bankipur Assembly a “referendum” on BJP government in Bihar
Prashant Kishor of the Jan Suraaj Party has framed the upcoming Bankipur by-election as a referendum on the Bihar BJP government. Major political parties have announced their candidates for the seat, which has historically been a BJP stronghold.
Why it matters
This by-election serves as a key indicator of shifting political dynamics in Bihar ahead of future state-wide electoral cycles.
The Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founder and former poll strategist Prashant Kishor called the upcoming by-poll at Bankipur Assembly seat a “referendum” on the BJP government in the State; the BJP on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) countered it, saying Mr. Kishor had been “thoroughly exposed” earlier in the last 2025 Assembly elections in the State and even failed to “secure deposits”. Meanwhile, extending support to the JSP candidate Mr. Kishor, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party MP from Asansol in West Bengal Shatrughan Sinha called Mr Kishor’s candidature as “political dhamaka”.
The article provides a balanced overview of claims from multiple political parties involved in the by-election.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in