Patna, July 9 (BiharTimes): The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday announced Rekha Gupta as its candidate for the upcoming by-election to the Bankipur Assembly seat, putting to rest speculation over the Mahagathbandhan extending support to Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor.
The announcement was made at a press conference by state RJD president Mangani Lal Mandal, who asserted that the decision to field Gupta was taken collectively by all constituents of the Mahagathbandhan.
“Rekha Kumari, popularly known as Rekha Gupta, had contested the Bankipur seat in the November 2025 Assembly elections and secured nearly 47,000 votes. Considering her strong performance and grassroots connect, the alliance has unanimously decided to renominate her,” Mandal said.
The Bankipur seat fell vacant following the resignation of BJP national president Nitin Nabin, necessitating the bypoll.
Gupta’s candidature signals the RJD-led alliance’s intent to consolidate its position in the urban constituency, while also closing ranks amid ongoing political realignments in Bihar ahead of future electoral contests.
The by-election is expected to witness a keen contest, with major political players gearing up to test their strength in one of Patna’s key assembly segments.
