The Bihar BJP chief, Sanjay Saraogi has asserted that the BJP will retain the Bankipur Assembly seat in the forthcoming by-election with an even bigger victory margin than last time. He maintained that the BJP's contest is primarily against the RJD, while dismissing Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor as a serious challenger.
According to Saraogi, Kishor exists only in media coverage and YouTube-driven publicity, with little or no presence on the ground in Bankipur.
In an exclusive interview with TNIE in Patna , he said the BJP enjoys a close, family-like relationship with every voter in the constituency and remains confident of another emphatic mandate.
Here are the excerpts from the interview with him:
How tough is the by-election in Patna’s Bankipur Assembly constituency, especially when former election strategist and Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor has entered the fray against the BJP?
There is no contest with Prashant Kishor. He may project himself as a master strategist, but he has no electoral base in Bihar. He remains visible in the media, on YouTube channels and through publicity campaigns, but he has no grassroots support in Bankipur.
The votes will be cast by the people of Bankipur, not by those who have been brought in from elsewhere for publicity. There is no real contest for the BJP. Our national president, Nitin Nabin, won this seat by more than 51,000 votes in the 2025 Assembly election.
When the results are declared on August 3, our victory margin will be even bigger. The BJP will once again win this seat by a massive margin. Prashant Kishor may dominate headlines and social media, but it is the voters of Bankipur who will decide the outcome, and they are firmly with the BJP.
Which party's candidate is actually in the contest against the BJP in this high-profile by-election — Prashant Kishor or the RJD’s Rekha Gupta?
Again telling you that he (Prashant Kishor) is nowhere in the contest against the BJP. Our takkar to some extent in this by -assembly election is with the RJD, whose candidate Rekha Gupta was also defeated in the 2025 Assembly election on the second position.
The BJP has consistently fought against the Mahagathbandhan, and that remains the case. The RJD has a traditional vote base in Bankipur, so the battle for the second position will be between the RJD and others. The BJP's victory is not in doubt. Prashant Kishor survives on managed publicity and media attention, but he has no real presence on the ground.
The BJP is fighting the RJD, and the RJD is set to lose once again even on the second position. Our government has undertaken substantial development work in Bankipur and across Bihar. We have provided 125 units of free electricity to domestic consumers, strengthened schemes such as the Samajik Suraksha Yojana and women's empowerment initiatives, and implemented several welfare programmes.
Elections are not won through YouTubers or by bringing supporters from outside. While Bankipur has around 3.9 lakh registered voters, more than 12 lakh people, including traders and professionals, live in the constituency. The voters here have consistently supported the BJP's politics of development.
Prashant Kishor says this by-election is an opportunity to end what he calls the BJP's political arrogance and to set a new development agenda, particularly on employment. How do you respond?
This is a by-election for just one Assembly seat. The BJP won this constituency only eight months ago. Be it recalled here that nearly 98 per cent of the candidates fielded by Prashant Kishor's party in the previous assembly elections even lost their deposits. He had publicly declared that he would retire from politics if the JD(U) won more than 25 seats.
Did he honour that promise? No.
He says one thing and does another. He has entered this by-election only for publicity. Bankipur has been represented by our national president Nitin Nabin ,so he wants to take a publicity by jumping into a fray on this seat. The BJP has been winning this seat continuously since 1995. The NDA is united and determined to retain it. Forget winning, Prashant Kishor is not even in second place. The RJD remains our principal opponent and the BJP will once again finish RJD .
I repeat, he (PK) is nowhere in the contest. This is an ordinary by-election, and the BJP will win comfortably. There is also visible infighting within the Mahagathbandhan and RJD will gain also nothing except defeat on this seat of the BJP.
Will the BJP's victory margin reduce because this is now a three-cornered contest?
Absolutely not. The BJP has been winning this seat since the days of Lalu Prasad Yadav's political dominance. We are confident of another emphatic victory. Our victory margin will exceed the 51,000 votes we secured in 2025. Even if voter turnout declines, the BJP's vote share will remain strong enough to ensure an even bigger victory.
How is the BJP addressing Opposition concerns over unemployment, inflation and other issues during this by-election?
We won this seat by more than 51,000 votes only eight months ago. Since then, we have continued to organise Sahayog Shivirs and work round the clock for the development of the constituency.
The people of Bankipur have seen our work. We are addressing these issues through governance and development rather than rhetoric. There is zero tolerance for delays or negligence in implementing development projects, and Chief Minister Samarat Choudhary personally monitors the progress of public welfare schemes. So, no such issue by opposition has any takers here.
Could recent incidents such as the NEET-UG paper leak, a rape case and an alleged fake encounter influence the outcome of this by-election?
No, these issues will have no impact on the election. Our government acted swiftly. In the alleged encounter case, a judicial inquiry was ordered within three days. A positive atmosphere has been created across the state. Criminals are being arrested, and many have fled Bihar due to strict law enforcement. Our government is working to make an “áparadh-mukat”(crime-free) state and getting success in it.
Under Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, the government is committed to making Bihar crime-free. The people have confidence in our administration and believe in our model of good governance based on the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'.
What do you expect from Vaishya voters, who also form a significant section of the electorate in Bankipur?
People from all castes and communities are with the NDA. The BJP receives support across social groups because of its commitment to development and good governance. It is true that the RJD has fielded a candidate from the Vaishya community. Therefore, a marginal dip in BJP's vote share from that section cannot be ruled out.
However, it will not affect the final outcome. The BJP is set to win comfortably.
Why was there a last-minute change in the BJP candidate for this seat?
What our original candidate said is true. He withdrew from the contest because of pressing family commitments. He personally met me and requested to be relieved from contesting the by-election. Despite stepping aside, Abhishek Bunty is working even harder than a candidate to ensure the victory of Neeraj K. Sinha on Bankipur assembly seat. That reflects the strength of our organisation.
The BJP is an ideology-driven party with a disciplined cadre and a strong organisational network down to every polling booth. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the country is reaching new heights of development. Every party worker accepts the organisation's decisions and works in the national interest. Our guiding principle remains 'Nation First'.
