BJP confident of landslide win in Bankipur by‑poll, says Ravi Shankar Prasad

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad could hardly hide his optimism on Sunday. He told reporters that the NDA‑BJP alliance is "getting unprecedented support" in the Bankipur by‑poll and is poised to win the seat by a "massive margin".

According to Prasad, the party’s ground‑level machinery is everywhere – from small door‑to‑door knocks to larger public meetings. "Our workers are present in every neighbourhood and every household of Bankipur," he said, adding that the campaign is focused on "accelerating and intensifying development" in the area.

The BJP has fielded Neeraj Kumar Sinha, a relatively new face, to defend what has traditionally been a stronghold for the party. His main rival is Prashant Kishor, the founder of the Jan Suraaj movement, who entered the fray hoping to capitalise on anti‑incumbency sentiments.

The by‑election is slated for July 30, with vote counting set for August 3. It became necessary after sitting MLA Nitin Nabin resigned his seat in the Bihar Legislative Assembly following his election to the Rajya Sabha in March.

Speaking separately, Nitin Nabin described his visit to Bankipur as more of a homecoming than a campaign stop. "I spent my childhood here, playing cricket in these very streets," he recalled, smiling. "Seeing the good roads and new development now gives me a different kind of joy."

While the race appears to be a test of the BJP’s grassroots pull, the party’s confident rhetoric suggests it expects a clear verdict from the voters.