3.7 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,302 candidates
Patna/New Delhi. Voting on 122 seats of the second phase of Bihar assembly elections is to be held on November 11. Voting will begin at 7 am on Tuesday. 45,399 booths have been made for this. 1302 candidates are in the fray for 122 seats. The results of the assembly elections will come on 14 November. There was a record 65 percent voting in the first phase. Of the 122 seats in the second phase, 101 are general seats, 19 are reserved for Scheduled Castes, and 2 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes. About 3.7 crore voters are eligible to vote in this phase, which includes about 1.95 crore male and 1.74 crore female voters. A total of 1,302 candidates are in the fray, including 136 women candidates. More than 45,399 polling stations have been set up in 20 districts for the convenience of voters and to maintain the orderly voting process.
While NDA’s prestige is at stake in the second phase of Bihar Assembly elections, the entire responsibility of the return of the Grand Alliance also rests on the seats of this region. The real litmus test for the parties ranging from Asaduddin Owaisi to Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Kushwaha is to be held in this final phase of elections, whereas for Congress too, it is a do or die situation. In the second phase, there are elections on 122 seats in 20 districts, which include 10 in Gayaji, 4 in Kaimur, 7 in Rohtas, 6 in Aurangabad, 2 in Arwal, 3 in Jehanabad, 5 in Nawada, 7 in Bhagalpur, 5 in Banka, 4 in Jamui, 8 in Sitamarhi, 1 in Shivhar, 10 in Madhubani, 10 in Supaul. Voting is on Tuesday for 5 assembly seats of Purnia, 7 of Araria, 7 of Katihar, 4 of Kishanganj, 12 of East Champaran and 9 of West Champaran.
RJD is contesting on maximum 71 seats.
In the 122 seats for which elections are being held in the second phase of Bihar, the credibility of BJP from NDA side and RJD from Grand Alliance side is at stake. In NDA, BJP is contesting maximum on 53 seats while JDU is trying its luck on 44 seats. Hindustan Awam Morcha chief Jitan Ram Manjhi is contesting on all the 6 seats of his quota. Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM candidates are in the fray on 4 seats and LJP (R) on 15 seats. At the same time, from the Grand Alliance, RJD has the maximum number of candidates in the fray on 71 seats. Congress is trying its luck on 37 seats. Mukesh Sahni’s party VIP is contesting on 7 seats, CPI (ML) on 7, CPI on 4 and CPM on one seat. Apart from this, Asaduddin Owaisi’s party AIMIM has fielded candidates on 21 seats in the second phase, while Prashant Kishore’s party is in the fray on 120 seats.
Grand alliance won 66 seats in 2020
If we look at the results of the elections held on these seats in 2020, the Grand Alliance had 66 seats, while the NDA had 49 seats. Asaduddin Owaisi’s party had won 5 seats and one seat had been captured by BSP. In this phase of seats in 2020, BJP had won 42 seats and JDU had won only 20 seats. NDA’s ally Jitan Ram Manjhi’s party had won all four seats in this area. At the same time, in the Grand Alliance, RJD was successful in winning 33 seats, Congress won only 11 seats, while CPI(ML) captured 5 seats. BSP had won one seat in Bihar. Apart from this, Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM had won five seats and one independent MLA had won. After the elections, BSP and independent MLAs joined JDU. Due to this, NDA’s figure reached 68.
These veterans will also be tested by fire
In this phase of Bihar, the credibility of political parties as well as veteran leaders is at stake, in which along with many sitting ministers, former ministers and two former Deputy Chief Ministers are also going to face the litmus test. Two former Deputy Chief Ministers, Renu Devi from Bettiah and former Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad from Katihar, are in the fray on BJP tickets. Among the ministers of Nitish government is Sumit Kumar Singh, who won as an independent candidate last time. Apart from this, Minister Jama Khan, who won from Chainpur on BSP ticket. After this he joined JDU. JDU’s Jayant Raj is in the fray from Amarpur, BJP’s Nitish Mishra from Jhanjharpur, BJP’s Narayan Prasad from Nautan, JDU’s Sheela Mandal from Phulparas and JDU’s Leshi Singh from Dhamdaha. Bahubali Anand Mohan’s son Chetan Anand is contesting on JDU ticket, while Murari Prasad Gautam is contesting from LJP’s Chenari seat. Similarly, Bima Bharti is contesting elections from RJD, while Uday Narayan and Upendra Kushwaha’s wife Snehlata are also in the fray. State President Akhtarul Iman is on AIMIM ticket. Santosh Kushwaha has left JDU and contested the elections on RJD ticket. In this context, the examination of many veterans is to be held in this phase.
Strong security arrangements
The Election Commission has taken security and technical measures to ensure fair and smooth voting. More than 500 companies of central armed police forces, including CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB, have been deployed across the state for security in 122 assembly constituencies. An observer has been appointed to oversee the voting activities in each constituency. To ensure transparency, webcasting arrangements have been made from all polling booths.
