Prashant Kishor Wins Bankipur By-Election as BJP Retains Gujarat Seat

Vote counting on August 3, 2026, for assembly by-elections in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat revealed a significant victory for the Jan Suraaj Party. Prashant Kishor won the Bankipur seat in Bihar by over 19,000 votes, defeating BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha. This victory overturned a BJP stronghold that had held the seat since 1995 and marks the first win for Kishor's party after failing to secure any seats in the November 2025 state elections.

In Madhya Pradesh's Datia constituency, Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh established a lead over BJP's Ashutosh Tiwari. Following six rounds of counting, Singh led by 1,786 votes. The Datia poll was triggered by the disqualification of former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti, who was suspended from the party shortly before counting after Singh accused him of sabotaging the campaign to aid the BJP.

Meanwhile, the BJP maintained its hold in Gujarat's Manjalpur by-election. Candidate Satish Govindbhai Patel secured a commanding lead of over 27,000 votes over Congress's Bhikhabhai Rabari after 17 rounds of counting. The Manjalpur vacancy followed the death of eight-term BJP legislator Yogesh Patel.

While the BJP held its ground in Gujarat, the loss in Bankipur was attributed to low voter turnout and student protests. Kishor characterized his win as a message to the BJP leadership to prioritize leadership without criminal backgrounds and focus on education and employment to curb youth migration.