Kathmandu— Jan Suraaj Party founder and poll strategist Prashant Kishor secured a significant early advantage of 862 votes over Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rival Neeraj Kumar Sinha after the first round of counting in the Bankipur Assembly bypoll on Monday. The election, held on July 30, is seen as a crucial test for Kishor's political ambitions and his message to Bihar voters.

Early Voting Trends Favor Prashant Kishor

According to the Election Commission’s initial figures released Monday, Prashant Kishor garnered 2,225 votes in the first round of counting. His BJP opponent Neeraj Kumar Sinha trailed with 1,363 votes, while Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Rekha Gupta was far behind at 505 votes.

The Bankipur bypoll is being closely watched as it marks Kishor’s direct electoral debut. The contest has been viewed as a significant political event in Bihar's current landscape.

Kishor's Strategic Choice of Bankipur

Prashant Kishor deliberately chose to contest from Bankipur, a long-standing BJP bastion, to challenge the status quo. Speaking to ANI earlier, he said, “When people start their electoral politics, they look for safe seats for themselves… I am doing the opposite because I am telling the people of Bihar that if Bihar is to change, they must vote beyond caste and religion.”

Kishor urged voters to stop voting out of fear for either Lalu Prasad Yadav or the BJP. He emphasized his message by contesting from a constituency where votes should not be sought in the name of caste or religion.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.