- By Raju Kumar
- Fri, 31 Jul 2026 06:35 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Exit polls predict Prashant Kishor leading Bankipur by-election.
- Low voter turnout raises concerns among political parties.
- BJP's strong organization could still influence results.
Bankipur Byelection 2026: Voting for the high-profile Bankipur Assembly by-election in Patna has concluded, and the fate of all 25 candidates is now locked in EVMs. Now, all eyes are on the counting of votes on August 3, when it will be clear who the people have chosen as their representative for this prestigious assembly seat.
All three major parties, the BJP, Jan Suraaj Party, and RJD, are claiming victory for their respective candidates. There are 25 contenders in the race, but the contest is believed to be between the BJP's Neeraj Kumar Sinha, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishore, and the RJD candidate Rekha Gupta.
Low Voter Turnout Increases Anxiety
This time, the most discussed issue is the voter turnout. In the 2025 Assembly elections, the voter turnout was 41.39 per cent, which dropped to 34.03 per cent this time. The nearly seven per cent drop in voter turnout has raised concerns among political analysts and parties. Following the low voter turnout, various political equations and possibilities have begun to emerge. Meanwhile, some exit polls have made the electoral contest even more interesting.
Exit Polls Project Prashant Kishor Ahead
The exit polls of the political research agency Janmat Polls showed Jan Suraaj candidate Prashant Kishor in a clear lead. According to the agency, he is projected to receive 49 to 52 per cent of the vote.
The BJP is placed in the second spot in the survey. The agency estimates that the BJP may receive 34 to 36 per cent of the vote, and the RJD 9 to 10 per cent.
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DV Research Also Gives PK An Edge Over Neeraj
The DV Research exit poll also claimed that Kishor has an edge. According to the agency, PK is projected to receive 43 per cent of the vote, while BJP's Neeraj is predicted to get 39 per cent. In this survey too, RJD's Rekha is in third place. DV Research claimed to have prepared the exit poll based on conversations with 1,580 voters.
PK Likely To Get More Than 50 Per Cent Votes
Another agency, Poll Pandit, predicted a big victory for Kishor in its exit poll. According to the agency, he may get more than 50 per cent of the votes.
Equations In favour Of The BJP?
Although all exit polls showed Kishor leading in the Bankipur seat, political experts believed that the actual contest could still go in the BJP's favour. Several reasons are being cited for this. According to analysts, organised cadre votes and strong booth management play a decisive role in the condition of low voter turnout. The BJP's biggest strength is considered to be its strong organisation and booth-level network.
What Happened In Polls 2025
Furthermore, the Bankipur Assembly constituency has long been a stronghold of the BJP. In the 2025 assembly elections, the then BJP candidate and current national president, Nitin Nabin, received 98,299 votes. Rekha Gupta of the RJD received 46,363 votes. The BJP won the seat by a margin of over 51,000 votes.
How Much Dent Could PK Make In The Vote Share?
The biggest question in this byelection is how many new votes could PK, contesting from Bankipur for the first time, add? Both the BJP and the RJD are considered to have their own traditional vote banks, while the votes coming in support of Kishor are largely considered to be new or transferred from other parties. This is why different claims are being made about the election results. The reality of all these predictions and exit polls will only be known with the counting of votes on August 3.
(With Jagran.com Inputs)