NEW DELHI — Polling commenced on Thursday morning across three assembly constituencies spread over Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, with election authorities putting elaborate security measures in place to ensure peaceful voting.

While polling is simultaneously underway in Madhya Pradesh’s Datia and Gujarat’s Manjalpur, the highest political intensity is focused on Bihar's Bankipur assembly segment, where election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor is testing his political mettle in his electoral debut under the banner of the Jan Suraaj Party.

High Stakes Battle in Bankipur

In Bankipur, voting began at 7:00 AM across all 422 urban polling stations. Approximately 3.80 lakh voters are eligible to decide the fate of 26 candidates in the fray. Polling will continue until 6:00 PM, with the counting of votes set for August 3.

The Bankipur seat was vacated after five-time BJP MLA and party national president Nitin Nabin was elected to the Rajya Sabha earlier this year. The constituency, formerly known as Patna West prior to delimitation, has remained an unbreached stronghold for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 1995.

To retain its turf, the BJP has fielded its youth wing leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha. However, the entry of Prashant Kishor has transformed the traditional stronghold into a tightly contested multi-cornered fight.

Kishor Alleges Police Crackdown at BJP’s Behest

Drama unfolded on the eve of polling when Prashant Kishor staged a protest outside Patna’s Jakkanpur police station, alleging that local police had illegally detained more than 16 Jan Suraaj Party supporters at the behest of the ruling coalition.

Addressing reporters outside the police station, Kishor claimed the detentions were part of a calculated move to intimidate his campaign team ahead of voting hours.

"I have been camping here for hours, and the police are unable to provide information on the whereabouts of my supporters," Kishor stated. "They have been rounded up without proper documentation or records. It is evident that the ruling party fears an impending defeat and is resorting to administrative machinery to suppress our cadres."

Kishor further alleged that the police threatened his party colleagues with prosecution under the state’s stringent prohibition law. The police authorities have not officially commented on the allegations.

Key Battles in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat

Beyond Bihar, voters are also casting their ballots in two other key state constituencies:

  • Datia (Madhya Pradesh): The by-election was necessitated following the disqualification of Congress leader Rajendra Bharti after his conviction in a bank fraud case. The BJP has nominated debutant Ashutosh Tiwari, who faces veteran Congress leader Kunwar Ghanshyam Singh—contesting the Datia seat for the seventh time.

  • Manjalpur (Gujarat): Polling was triggered by the death of veteran BJP legislator Yogesh Patel. The contest features a direct showdown between BJP candidate Satish Patel and former state minister Bhikhabhai Rabari of the Congress.

Election officials confirmed that polling across all three states has proceeded peacefully during the early morning hours, with heavy deployment of state police and paramilitary forces to maintain law and order.