India, Aug. 3 -- By-polls are hardly significant in empirically analysing larger electoral politics in India. But when a political rookie wrests a seat from a ruling party which the latter has not lost in three decades, and was held by its national president, some sort of analysis is called for. Here are some key takeaways from the Prashant Kishor's (PK) comprehensive victory in the Bankipur assembly constituency (AC) by-poll in Bihar.

The numbers are unambiguous. PK has polled almost 50% vote share in the election. The BJP, which has polled 35% of the vote share in these elections, has recorded its worst ever performance by a distance in this AC since it came in existence in 2009. The RJD, the main opposition party in the state, has bee...