ACTION AGAINST PK JUST A DAY BEFORE VOTING

ACTION AGAINST PK JUST A DAY BEFORE VOTING

30-JULY-ENG 5

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA------------------------Voting in Bankipur is scheduled for tomorrow, and Prashant Kishor is facing mounting trouble just a day prior. What exactly transpired regarding the controversy over the Nitish Kumar video?

A complaint was lodged on Wednesday (July 29, 2026) at Patna's Shastri Nagar police station against Prashant Kishor, the founder of the Jan Suraaj Party and a candidate from Bankipur. The complaint was filed by the JD(U). JD(U) chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar initiated this action in response to Prashant Kishor's statement claiming that a video featuring Nitish Kumar was AI-generated.

The JD(U) had shared a video of former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on social media platforms. In the video, Nitish Kumar was appealing to the people of Bankipur to vote for BJP candidate Neeraj Sinha. The BJP had also shared this video on its official social media platforms. Prashant Kishor had dismissed the video, claiming it was AI-generated.

Neeraj Kumar stated that Prashant Kishor is rattled by Nitish Kumar's appeal. In his panic, he is making absurd and baseless statements. He warned that anyone who crosses Nitish Kumar will not be spared. Kumar added that the complaint filed today demands action in accordance with the law.

Neeraj Kumar further mentioned that he has apprised the Station House Officer (SHO) of the relevant legal sections. He emphasized that if Prashant Kishor thinks he can corner Nitish Kumar, he will receive a befitting reply. Kumar went as far as to say that even if Prashant Kishor were to take *Jal Samadhi* (drown himself), he would still not let him off the hook.

It is worth noting that, apart from labeling the video of Nitish Kumar's appeal as AI-generated, PK has also issued a challenge: if Nitish Kumar repeats the same statement before the media, he (Prashant Kishor) will withdraw his candidacy from Bankipur. Political tensions have escalated following PK's statement, and the matter has now reached the police station.

Voting for the by-election in Patna's Bankipur Assembly constituency—considered a BJP stronghold—is scheduled for Thursday, July 30. Campaigning concluded on Tuesday evening. The Election Commission has finalized preparations for the vote, and the results for this seat will be declared on August 3. All eyes, not just in Bihar but across the country, are fixed on this contest.

The seat fell vacant after BJP leader Nitin Navin moved to the Rajya Sabha; he had served as the MLA from Bankipur for five consecutive terms. The BJP has fielded young party worker Neeraj Sinha for this seat. He is up against Rekha Gupta of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor himself has entered the fray representing the Jan Suraaj Party, adding an interesting twist to the contest. The Bankipur by-election appears to be shaping up as a three-way battle.