Bypolls in Three States Underway: Prashant Kishor Faces First Electoral Test in Bankipur
Voting began at 7 am on Thursday for bypolls to three assembly seats — Bankipur in Bihar, Datia in Madhya Pradesh, and Manjalpur in Gujarat. The results are due on August 3.
In Bankipur, the contest has drawn national attention as Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor makes his electoral debut among 26 candidates. Kishor, a prominent political strategist, is contesting against the BJP's Neeraj Kumar Sinha. Around 3.80 lakh voters are eligible in Bankipur, where the BJP has expressed confidence in a "landslide" victory, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal, led by Tejashwi Yadav, has also predicted a win.
Voting is also underway in Datia, where 2.20 lakh voters will choose among 21 candidates. In Manjalpur, the contest is a straight two-candidate fight between the BJP and the Congress.
The bypolls were necessitated due to various reasons, including resignations and deaths of sitting members. These elections are seen as a test of popularity for the ruling parties in the respective states.
