NEET protests dominate Bankipur bypoll campaign as BJP, Prashant Kishor battle for key seat

Campaigning for the Bankipur Assembly bypoll in Bihar ended on Tuesday after an intense contest dominated by a direct battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, with the protests over the alleged NEET paper leak emerging as a key election issue.

Voting for the seat, vacated by BJP national president Nitin Nabin following his election to the Rajya Sabha, will be held on July 30, while votes will be counted on August 3.

Although 25 candidates are in the fray, the contest is widely seen as a test of whether Kishor can make an electoral breakthrough in a constituency long considered a BJP bastion.

The bypoll took on added political significance after the nationwide protests over the alleged NEET paper leak and the subsequent violence in Patna, with both the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition seeking to capitalise on the issue during campaigning.

BJP mounts high-profile campaign

The BJP fielded 32-year-old Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha after Nabin's elevation to the Rajya Sabha in April.

With Kishor entering the fray, Nabin led an extensive campaign, assuring voters that despite moving to Parliament, Bankipur would remain his priority.

Senior BJP leaders, including Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, MP Ravi Shankar Prasad and Union Minister Chirag Paswan, campaigned for the party nominee. Party campaigners also included actors-turned-politicians Manoj Tiwari and Pawan Singh, along with singer Maithili Thakur.

The BJP also released a video of former chief minister and Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar appealing to voters to support the BJP candidate.

Kishor banks on anti-government mood

Kishor campaigned extensively across the constituency, urging voters to register their dissatisfaction with the BJP-led state government.

He questioned the authenticity of the video featuring Nitish Kumar, alleging it was generated using artificial intelligence, and challenged the BJP to have the former chief minister repeat the appeal publicly.

The Jan Suraaj chief also sought to tap into public anger over the alleged NEET paper leak, arguing that the protests reflected growing dissatisfaction with the government's handling of education and recruitment.

RJD seeks to retain relevance

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has fielded Rekha Gupta, runner-up in the 2025 Assembly election, though its campaign gathered momentum only in the closing stages after Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav joined the campaign.

Yadav criticised the NDA government over its handling of the student protests and alleged police action against demonstrators.

The BJP-led NDA is hoping that a split in Opposition votes between the RJD and Jan Suraaj will help it retain the seat comfortably.