Bihar bypolls: Prashant Kishor storms ahead in BJP bastion

New Delhi: As counting is progressing at the high-stakes Bankipur Assembly bypoll in Bihar, poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has surged into an early lead. Election Commission data after the ninth round showed him polling 17,856 votes, putting him 5,272 votes ahead of BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar. The result is being closely watched as Bankipur has long been considered a BJP fortress, with the party never having lost the seat. The bypoll was necessitated after former MLA and BJP state president Nitin Nabin was elected to the Rajya Sabha. The contest gained further attention after the BJP replaced its original nominee, Abhishek Kumar Sinha, with youth wing leader Neeraj Kumar following the former's withdrawal.

Counting is also underway in Datia, Madhya Pradesh, and Manjalpur, Gujarat, making the bypolls the first electoral test since nationwide student protests over examination paper leaks. The outcome is expected to offer an early indication of public sentiment, particularly among young voters.

In Datia, first-time BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari is locked in a direct contest with Congress's Ghanshyam Singh following the disqualification of Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti. The seat has also witnessed discontent among supporters of former minister Narottam Mishra over the BJP's change of candidate.

In Gujarat's Manjalpur, the bypoll follows the death of sitting BJP MLA Yogeshbhai Narandas Patel. The contest pits BJP nominee Satish Govindbhai Patel against Congress leader and former minister Bhikhabhai Rabari in a battle for a constituency long dominated by the BJP.