The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday decided to field Abhishek Kumar for the upcoming Bankipur Assembly bypoll in Bihar. This announcement has made the bypoll fight triangular after Jan Suraaj fielded the party founder Prashant Kishor while Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will try its luck with Rekha Gupta.
The announcement was made by BJP National General Secretary Arun Singh. Kumar, who will be contesting his first election, described the opportunity as both an honour and a responsibility. He said he has already begun meeting party workers while seeking the blessings of senior leaders, supporters and the people of the constituency.
Who is Abhishek Kumar?
Abhishek Kumar, who was part of BJP and its youth wing for nearly 26 years, considered a close aide of Bihar BJP president Nitin Nabin, who have recently served as the Vice-President of the BJP Yuva Morcha in the Bankipur region.
He started his political journey as a grassroots worker and gradually rose through the party’s organisational ranks. During his political career, Kumar has served as Mandal Secretary, Mandal General Secretary, Mandal President, President of the Patna Metropolitan BJP Yuva Morcha, and State Vice-President of the BJYM in Bihar.
The BJP has projected him as an organisation-focused leader with significant experience in booth management, membership drives and strengthening the party’s grassroots network.
Kumar belongs to the Kayastha community, which has a notable presence in the Bankipur Assembly constituency.
The by-election was necessitated after former MLA Nitin Nabin vacated the Bankipur Assembly seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha.
The constituency, regarded as one of Bihar’s key urban seats and traditionally a BJP stronghold, is expected to witness an intense contest. Both Abhishek Kumar and Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor will be making their electoral debut, while the RJD has fielded Rekha Gupta, making it a three-way battle.
Polling for the Bankipur Assembly by-election will be held on July 30, alongside bypolls in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. The counting of votes is scheduled for August 3.