Prashant Kishor, leader of the Jan Suraaj Party, was leading the Bankipur assembly by-election in Bihar after the ninth round of counting, according to an Election Commission update cited in a report published on August 3, 2026. Kishor had received 17,856 votes, while BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar was in second place, trailing by 5,272 votes. The RJD candidate was third.

The contest is Kishor’s first electoral bid after moving from election strategist to politician. His Jan Suraaj Party contested the 2025 Bihar assembly election, but Kishor did not stand as a candidate and the party won no seats. His decision to contest in Bankipur, described as a BJP stronghold, had surprised many political observers.

BJP’s Nitin Nabin had won Bankipur four consecutive times since 2010, including with more than 62 percent of votes in 2025. The by-election was called after Nabin became a Rajya Sabha member. If Kishor wins, it would be the first time BJP loses Bankipur. The report says the election follows nationwide protests over question-paper leaks and may indicate the mood of young voters.