Daily Briefing: Prashant Kishor rises in Bankipur, BJP rethinks strategy, Opposition reassesses

On that note, let’s get to the rest of today’s edition. 👇

🚨 Big Story

Prashant Kishor triumphs

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor scored a major political victory by winning the Bankipur Assembly bypoll, ending the BJP’s three-decade hold over the Patna constituency. Defeating BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar by 19,324 votes, Kishor described the result as the collapse of the BJP’s “30-year fortress” in just 30 days. Having framed the bypoll as a referendum on the tenure of Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Kishor said the verdict reflected voters’ desire for clean governance and a greater focus on issues such as education, healthcare, jobs and development over caste, religion and welfare politics.

BJP’s wake-up call

BJP’s defeat in the Bankipur and Datia bypolls have triggered introspection within the party, with leaders viewing the results as a warning that even its core support base can shift if local concerns are ignored. While the losses are seen as reflecting dissatisfaction among traditional BJP voters rather than a broader Opposition resurgence, they have highlighted the need for stronger local leadership, better governance and a more robust grassroots organisation. The verdicts also serve as a reminder that the party cannot rely solely on its traditional vote base or national leadership to win elections. Read.

Course correction

For the Opposition, the Bankipur bypoll result has raised as many questions as it has offered reasons to celebrate. While Prashant Kishor’s victory over the BJP has fuelled discussions about voter fatigue with the existing political order and the rise of new political alternatives, leaders across the INDIA bloc are divided on how to read the verdict. Some see it as a sign of changing political preferences, while others argue it was shaped largely by local factors. The outcome has also prompted parties such as the Congress and the RJD to reassess their strategies and acknowledge the need for course correction ahead of future elections.

⚡ Only in Express

In our opinion piece today, Vandita Mishra argues that the end of the Jantar Mantar protests does not mark the end of the movement, as the underlying issues of fairness, accountability and trust in public institutions remain unresolved. She writes that the agitation demonstrated the power of sustained citizen mobilisation in compelling the government to respond while exposing the deep frustrations of India’s youth. Mishra contends that meaningful institutional reform, rather than political damage control or symbolic concessions, is essential to address these grievances. As the crowds disperse, she asks what, if anything, has truly changed, and whether India is prepared to confront the deeper questions the protests have left behind.

📰 From the Front Page

EC steps in: The Election Commission has asked the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to submit resolutions approving key amendments to its constitution amid an internal dispute over the validity of Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar’s election as the party’s national president. The controversy stems from a legal challenge by NCP national secretary Sachchidanand Singh, who alleges that the election process bypassed the party’s constitutional procedures following the death of former chief Ajit Pawar. While Singh has sought to have Pawar’s election declared void, the EC has not taken a view on the merits of the dispute and has instead sought documents relating to amendments on party membership, state committees, suspension of party committees and the use of party funds.

📌 Must Read

Donation row: The Shri Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust has been asked to explain allegations that nearly Rs 18 crore in donations goes missing every year amid growing scrutiny over its finances. The Trust, however, has maintained that it was the first to detect irregularities in the donation-counting process and had sought a forensic audit and government investigation months before the issue became public. It says the alleged discrepancies surfaced after weekly donations rose sharply following action against employees accused of theft, and has called for a wider probe into the possible involvement of senior officials while rejecting demands for the trustees’ resignation.

Tracking organs: The Centre has launched e-Pratyaropan, a real-time digital platform aimed at making India’s organ donation and transplant system more transparent and efficient. The portal introduces a single national waiting list for organ transplants, replacing fragmented state-wise systems, while enabling real-time tracking of organ allocation and transplant outcomes. It also integrates Aadhaar-verified organ donation pledges, with the government saying more than five lakh people have registered since 2023. The initiative is expected to reduce delays, improve transparency and streamline organ allocation across the country.

⏳ And Finally…

In Delhi today, the exhibition Paper and Play is challenging conventional ideas of art by bringing together more than 200 artworks and 500 publications that visitors can view, interpret and buy. Featuring everything from zines and posters to prints and comics, the exhibition explores themes such as caste, queer identity, feminism and political resistance while making art more accessible through affordable pricing. By doing away with explanatory labels, the curators invite viewers to engage with the works on their own terms, reinforcing the exhibition’s aim of democratising art and encouraging dialogue around social and political issues.

🎧 In our 3 Things podcast today, we address the recent change in the jersey colours of the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams, discuss a promising new drug, SHetA2, that could help fight cervical cancer, and analyse Prashant Kishor’s victory in the Bankipur bypoll in Bihar, which ended the BJP’s three-decade-long hold over the constituency.

That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow, 

Anupama