Counting of votes for the Assembly by-elections in Madhya Pradesh’s Datia and Bihar’s Bankipur continued on Monday, with both constituencies witnessing closely watched contests. In Datia, the lead changed during different rounds of counting, reflecting a neck-and-neck battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. Meanwhile, in Bankipur, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor remained ahead of his nearest rival, making his electoral debut one of the most closely followed contests of the day.

According to the latest Election Commission trends, Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh held a narrow lead over BJP’s Ashutosh Tiwari after several rounds of counting in Datia, although earlier rounds had placed the BJP ahead, highlighting the fluctuating nature of the contest. Political observers said the Datia bypoll remains too close to call, with every round of counting significantly impacting the margin between the two leading candidates.

In Bihar’s Bankipur constituency, Prashant Kishor continued to strengthen his position over BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha as counting progressed. The by-election is being viewed as a major political test for the Jan Suraaj Party founder, who is contesting his first election. Election officials stated that counting is still underway, and the final outcome will be declared only after all rounds are completed.