After hectic rounds of campaigning, Bihar is geared up for the first phase of polling in 121 constituencies, which is set to decide the fate of the two-decade-long Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state.
In the first phase of polling, around 3.75 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,314 candidates across 121 seats in the 243-seat Bihar assembly.
Thursday’s election will decide the fate of several high-profile candidates, including RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Mangal Pandey and JD(U)’s Shravan Kumar and Vijay Kumar Choudhary. Tej Pratap Yadav, who has floated his own party, is also in the fray from the Mahua seat.
Also read: Day before Bihar’s phase 1 voting, Jan Suraaj Party’s Munger candidate defects to join BJP
Here is all you need to know about the first phase of polling in Bihar
- 18 districts in Bihar will go for voting in the first phase, including Patna, Darbhanga, Madhepura, Saharsa, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Samastipur, Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Munger, Sheikhpura, Nalanda, Buxar, and Bhojpur.
- Some of the prominent constituencies in the fray include Raghopur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Mahua, Ujairpur, Patna Sahib, Nalanda and Buxar.
- The election will decide the fate of top BJP leader Samrat Choudhary from Tarapur, Tejashwi Yadav from Raghopur, Tej Pratap from Mahua, Maithili Thakur from Alinagar and Anant Singh from Mokama.
- Mokama came into spotlight following the murder of Jan Suraaj supporter Dular Chand Yadav on October 30. JD(U) candidate and strongman Anant Singh has been booked in connection with the murder. Another ‘bahubali’-turned politician Surajbhan Singh’s wife Veena Devi is in fray on RJD ticket from the Mokama seat.
- The first phase of polling witnessed high-voltage campaigning from top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and Himanta Biswa Sarma.
- The election marks the debut of Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraj, who is pitching himself as a third alternative in Bihar. Kishor’s party has fielded candidates in all 243 seats.
- As per the Election Commission, there are 10.72 lakh ‘new electors’ and 7.78 lakh voters are in the age group of 18-19 years.
- Central City Patna Superintendent of Police Diksha said all security arrangements have been made for smooth and peaceful polling in the city. Patrolling parties will conduct raids. From morning, there will be checks at the zonal and super zonal levels, with quick response teams. CAPF and State Police have also been deployed at polling stations.
- Polling for the first phase will begin at 7 am and conclude at 6 pm. Due to security considerations, polling time has been curtailed to 5 pm in some constituencies.
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