Kathmandu— Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor secured a significant lead in the Bankipur by-election, traditionally a stronghold for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), signaling a shift in voter sentiment towards leaders focused on development over those with criminal backgrounds. With nearly 19,419 votes ahead of his nearest rival, Kishor's win is seen as a message to BJP top brass to prioritize governance and appoint a Chief Minister who can improve education and employment opportunities.

Kishor's Lead in Bankipur

According to the latest data from the Election Commission of India, Prashant Kishor has secured 59,213 votes against BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar’s 39,794 votes. RJD’s Rekha Kumari trails with 13,260 votes. This victory is particularly significant as Bankipur has been a BJP stronghold since 1995, held by the family of Navin Kishore Prasad Sinha and his son Nitin Nabin for five consecutive terms until Nitin’s election to the Rajya Sabha necessitated this by-election.

Message from Bihar

Kishor framed his victory as a message from the people of Bihar to the BJP's central leadership. He emphasized that voters are rejecting leaders with criminal backgrounds and demanding better governance focused on development, education, and employment opportunities for youth. 'Before the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Modi, the BJP, and Amit Shah should focus on improving Bihar,' Kishor told reporters.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.