India, Aug. 4 -- Twin defeats in Bihar and MP interrupt BJP's winning momentum, even as it retains Gujarat's Manjalpur seat

The BJP's election juggernaut came to a close halt on Monday after it lost two of three Assembly bypolls, including its 35-year-old bastion in Bankipur, Bihar. Debutant poll analyst-turned politician Prashant Kishor trounced his rival Neeraj Kumar of the BJP by a margin of more than 19,000 votes. The by-election was necessitated following the resignation of BJP national president Nitin Nabin, who gave up the seat in April on his election to the Rajya Sabha.

The other setback for the saffron party was in Datia, Madhya Pradesh, where the Congress candidate emerged victorious. Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh won by...