Polling officials and security personnel deboard a ferry as they leave for election duty on the eve of the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, in Patna
Credit: PTI Photo
Patna: The high-stake Bihar battle is all set for the first phase of election where polling will take place in 121 constituencies, out of 243 seats in Bihar, on November 6 from 7 am to 6 pm. In certain naxal-infested zones, the voting will be over by 5 pm as a preventive measure.
Besides Patna, all eyes will be on Raghopur, the VIP constituency in Vaishali, from where Tejashwi Yadav, the Mahagatbandhan Chief Ministerial face, is contesting for the third time. If he romps home, it will be a hat-trick for the former Deputy Chief Minister from a constituency, which has been earlier represented by his father Lalu Prasad twice and mother Rabri Devi thrice. Both the parents served as Bihar CM after being elected from Raghopur.
Equally interesting is the nearby Mahua seat from where Lalu’s elder son Tej Pratap is in the fray as the nominee of Janshakti Janata Dal, a newly-floated outfit. Earlier this year, Tej Pratap, who was expelled by Lalu from the RJD as well as the family for his misdemeanour, is ploughing a lonely furrow from the Yadav-dominated constituency.
ALL EYES ON MOKAMA
The media from across the nation has swooped down to Mokama, 100 kms from Patna, from where don-turned-politician Anant Singh is contesting as the JD (U) candidate. Anant was arrested on Sunday on murder charge after the killing of Jan Suraaj supporter Dularchand Yadav. With Anant behind bars, Union Minister Lallan Singh has taken up the cudgels on behalf of Anant and was camping there till November 4. In fact, an FIR was registered against him on Tuesday after the Union Minister made “Don’t allow them to vote and lock them up in their rooms” remarks.
Other constituencies which will draw attention on Thursday is Tarapur in Munger from where Deputy Chief Minister and former Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary is in the fray.
Noted artist Maithili Thakur too will be observed keenly in Alinagar from where the 25-year-old folk singer is in the fray as the BJP nominee. She too remained in the news recently after proposing that she would get Alinagar renamed as Sitanagar, as a tribute to Goddess Sita.
FACTS & FIGURES
Altogether 1314 candidates are in the fray for the November 6 poll whose fate will be decided by 3.75 crore voters.
The NDA and the INDIA bloc, besides the newbie Jan Suraaj, have pulled out all the stops to woo the voters.
PM Narendra Modi addressed eight meetings while Rahul Gandhi 14. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, despite not keeping well, addressed 41 meetings but it was Tejashwi who topped the chart by addressing 96 meetings.
Once the first phase of poll is over on November 6, the second and last phase of election for the remaining 122 seats will be held on November 11. Counting of votes is slated for November 14.