Patna: Campaigning for the Bankipur Assembly by-election concluded at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, marking the end of an intense election campaign by candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Jan Suraaj Party, and other political parties.
Voting will be held on July 30, while the counting of votes is scheduled for August 3.
On the final day of campaigning, BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha, RJD candidate Rekha Gupta, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, and other contestants conducted roadshows, public meetings, and door-to-door campaigns across the Bankipur constituency, appealing to voters for support.
Polling will be conducted from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 30.
The Election Commission has completed preparations for the by-election, with central security forces deployed at polling stations to ensure free, fair, and peaceful voting.
The by-election was necessitated after BJP National President Nitin Nabin vacated the Bankipur Assembly seat.
The BJP has fielded Neeraj Kumar Sinha as its candidate. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) mounted an extensive campaign in support of the BJP nominee. Leaders from alliance partners, including Janata Dal (United) and LJP (Ram Vilas), held rallies and public meetings throughout the constituency.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan and several JD-U ministers campaigned for the BJP candidate, while senior BJP leaders remained actively engaged until the close of campaigning. JD-U National President Nitish Kumar also released a video message urging voters to support the BJP candidate, with NDA leaders projecting confidence about retaining the seat.
On the opposition side, Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav led a roadshow in support of RJD candidate Rekha Gupta, accusing the NDA governments at the Centre and in Bihar of failing to deliver development. He claimed that the people of Bankipur, after 35 years of neglect, had resolved to bring about political change.
Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor, contesting his first election as the founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, carried out an intensive grassroots campaign on the final day. He interacted with residents through roadshows and door-to-door outreach, seeking support for his candidature.
With campaigning now over, the focus shifts to polling on July 30, when voters in Bankipur will decide their next MLA. The final verdict will be known after the counting of votes on August 3.
(IANS)
