PATNA, July 29 -- Campaigning for the high-stake Bankipur assembly bypoll drew to its close on Tuesday, setting the stage for a keenly watched contest that has mainly pitted the BJP against political strategist-turned-leader Prashant Kishor and Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) Rekha Gupta in the urban area of Patna. The bypoll, scheduled to go for the polls on July 30 and results on August 3, was triggered by the election of five-term MLA and BJP national president Nitin Nabin to the Rajya Sabha in April. Once viewed by the BJP as a hold, the seat has transformed into a test of strength following Kishor's decision to contest on the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) ticket. A total of 25 candidates are in the fray. Bankipur, located in central Patna, has long been a BJP pocket borough. Nabin, who was elevated to the party's top post, had won the seat in the November 2025 assembly polls by a margin of over 50,000 votes. The party fielded 32-year-old youth wing leader Neeraj Kumar Sinha, hoping for an easy victory. However, Kishor's entry has turned the contest into a direct challenge, as he seeks to secure Jan Suraaj's first assembly seat after the party drew a blank in last year's polls. The campaign gained unexpected momentum from student protests over the NEET question paper leak scandal, which led to violence in Patna and led to resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Kishor, who has long advocated for systemic reforms in Bihar's education sector, has positioned the issue at the centre of his campaign, hoping it will resonate with urban voters and young electors. Nitin Nabin returned to his constituency with full force, assuring voters that "Bankipur shall remain his top priority" despite his parliamentary responsibilities. He, joined by senior BJP leaders, spearheaded an intensive public outreach campaign. On Monday, he carried out a roadshow along with state chief minister Samrat Choudhary and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. The BJP's campaign got the star push as artistes-turned-politicians including Manoj Tiwari, Pawan Singh and Maithili Thakur joined the electioneering, while alliance partner Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief and Union minister Chirag Paswan made his presence felt on the final day. Prashant Kishor, 49, has been the talk of the constituency, personally canvassing nearly every street and lane. He has framed the contest as a referendum on the performance of the NDA government, particularly targeting CM Samrat Choudhary, who was chosen by the BJP leadership to head the state government after Nitish Kumar stepped down. In a notable exchange, the BJP released a video of JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar urging voters to support the lotus symbol. Kishor, a former national vice-president of the JD(U), dismissed the clip as "AI-generated" and questioned Kumar's fitness to deliver a coherent address. He challenged the BJP to have Kumar repeat the statement live before the media, offering to withdraw from the race if proven wrong. RJD has fielded Rekha Gupta, who finished second in the 2025 assembly election from the seat. After an initially subdued campaign, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav intensified efforts in the final stretch, criticising NDA over its handling of the protests. Reacting to BJP's high-profile campaign, Yadav said it was "a high-stakes battle that they (BJP) are certain to lose." He alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi had planned to visit Bihar to inaugurate a bridge but cancelled the trip upon realising the party's vulnerability in the seat. Yadav has focused on alleged repression of protesters, seeking to consolidate opposition votes....