Archive · 30 Jul 2026
Bihar, MP, Gujarat Bypolls Begin Amid High Stakes
Three places in India are having new elections because the old representatives left their jobs.
In Patna, the Bankipur seat is being contested by three parties: the BJP, the RJD, and a new party called Jan Suraaj.
In Madhya Pradesh, the Datia seat is a fight between the BJP and Congress, with a third party also running.
In Gujarat, the Manjalpur seat is a direct battle between the BJP and Congress.
Big leaders are voting and saying they expect big wins for their parties.
One candidate, Prashant Kishor, said that some of his supporters were taken to a police station without proper notice, and he is upset about it.
The votes will be counted on August 3.
Voting started Thursday (July 30) for Bankipur, Datia and Manjalpur by‑elections.
Bankipur is a three‑way contest between BJP’s Neeraj Kumar Sinha, RJD’s Rekha Kumari Gupta and Jan Suraaj’s Prashant Kishor.
Datia features BJP’s Ashutosh Tiwari against Congress’s Ghanshyam Singh, with a third candidate from Azad Samaj Party.
Manjalpur is a direct battle between BJP’s Satish Govindbhai Patel and Congress’s Bhikhabhai Rabari.
Prashant Kishor raised allegations that Jan Suraaj workers were illegally detained at Jakkanpur police station.
- Who
- Candidates from BJP, RJD, Congress, and Jan Suraaj Party
- What
- By-elections for Bankipur (Bihar), Datia (Madhya Pradesh) and Manjalpur (Gujarat)
- When
- Voting on July 30, 2026; counting on August 3, 2026
- Where
- Bankipur in Patna, Datia in Madhya Pradesh, Manjalpur in Vadodara, Gujarat
- Why
- Seats vacated by resignation, disqualification and death of sitting MLAs
- Voting Date
- July 30, 2026
- Counting Date
- August 3, 2026
- Bankipur Candidates
- Neeraj Kumar Sinha (BJP), Rekha Kumari Gupta (RJD), Prashant Kishor (Jan Suraaj)
- Datia Candidates
- Ashutosh Tiwari (BJP), Ghanshyam Singh (Congress), Damodar Singh Yadav (Azad Samaj)
- Manjalpur Candidates
- Satish Govindbhai Patel (BJP), Bhikhabhai Rabari (Congress)
Sources
Bypolls in Bankipur, Datia and Manjalpur: Prashant Kishor turns up heat as voting gets underway amid tight security
Bankipur, Datia & Manjalpur Assembly Bypolls: High-Stakes Voting Begins Across Bihar, Madhya Pradesh & Gujarat; Counting On August 3 | Video
Voting underway in Bankipur, Datia and Manjalpur bypolls; Prashant Kishor faces BJP, RJD in Patna