Bihar Assembly Election highlights: People will send message that jobs, inflation key issues, says Chidambaram

Nearly 58 per cent of the total 2.35 crore electors exercised their franchise in the third and final round of polling in Bihar Saturday as voting concluded in the first major election in the country since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Several exit polls gave the RJD-led opposition alliance in Bihar an edge over the ruling NDA while at least three of them predicted a clear majority for the 'Mahagathbandhan' which has projected Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial face. Counting of votes for the three-phase Bihar assembly polls will be held on November 10.

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Bihar polls: People will send message that jobs, inflation key issues, says Chidambaram

A day after several exit polls gave the RJD-led opposition alliance in Bihar an edge over the ruling NDA, Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said the people of the state will send a clear message that they are more concerned with issues such as jobs, food, healthcare and inflation.

Several exit polls on Saturday gave the RJD-led opposition alliance in Bihar an edge over the ruling NDA while at least three of them predicted a clear majority for the 'Mahagathbandhan' which has projected Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial face.

Most of the exit polls also predicted RJD to again emerge as the single largest party in the 243-member assembly along with a clear dip in the seat tally of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U).

"Mr Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) believes that he can win every election on Hindutva, Ram Temple, Pulwama, repeal of Art 370, CAA, and branding every opposition party and opposition leader as anti-national," Chidambaram said.

"I believe the people of Bihar will send a clear message that they are more concerned with jobs, food, healthcare, inflation, fair prices for farmers, infrastructure and industrial development. Will the PM hear their voices?" he said in a series of tweets.

Claiming that the Indian nation is as "divided as the United States", Chidambaram said president-elect Joe Biden's thanksgiving speech is the kind of speech that "we want to hear from every Indian Prime Minister".

(PTI)

Karnataka CM will be changed after Bihar poll results: Siddaramaiah

Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Sunday reiterated his claims that the ruling BJP will change its Chief Minister in Karnataka after the Bihar assembly poll results are out on November 10.

The statement has come days after Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had rubbished similar claims by Siddaramaiah terming it "irresponsible" and had even said the latter will be removed as leader of opposition by the Congress, following the party's defeat in bypolls to two assembly segments in the state.

RJD warns its workers against celebratory firing, 'uncivil behaviour' on result day

With exit polls predicting victory for the RJD-led Grand Alliance, the party Sunday warned its workers against indulging in celebratory firing and "uncivil behaviour" towards rivals on the day of counting of votes on November 10, irrespective of the results.

In a tweet addressed to its workers, the party said, "Whatever the election results are on November 10, it has to be accepted with absolute restraint, simplicity and courtesy.

"Improper fireworks, celebratory firing and uncivil behaviour towards our rivals or their supporters will not be accepted at any cost," it said. The votes will be counted on November 10, a day after RJDs chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav celebrates his 32nd birthday.

The instructions to the party workers to behave decently on the counting day is part of Tejashwi's efforts to do away with "rowdy behaviour" prevalent on such occasions in the past and establish a new culture.

Multiple exit polls released Saturday evening have predicted the Mahagathbandhan to win a majority in the 243- strong Bihar assembly.

RJD's Bihar unit president Jagdanand Singh said the partymen have been told to accept the results of the polls with "all humility." Praising Tejashwi, Singh said "while Lalu Prasad is the centre of 'astha' (faith), Tejashwi is the centre of 'wyavastha' (arrangements) of the party."

Singh, a close confidante of Lalu Prasad, told the partymen that Tejashwi laboured hard to win peoples faith in the party and its duty of everybody to maintain it.

(PTI)

Bihar Assembly Election results may be delayed this year, here's why

Notably, there are around 7.5 crores voters in Bihar and the number of polling booths used to be 75,000.

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55 counting centres, 78 CAPF cos, CCTVs: All set for Nov 10 as Bihar awaits poll results

The Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for counting of votes on November 10 for the Bihar assembly polls as the state awaits results of a closely-fought election.

The poll panel said it has set up a total of 55 counting centres, housing 414 halls, spread across all the 38 districts of the state that voted in three phases on October 28, November 3 and November 7.

The maximum three counting centres each have been set up in four districts of East Champaran (which has 12 assembly constituencies), Gaya (10 constituencies), Siwan (eight constituencies) and Begusarai (seven). Rest other districts either have one or two counting centres each.

Considering the fact that coronavirus is raging in the state, steps have been taken to ensure that Covid-19 guidelines are strictly followed during the counting.

Face masks will be mandatory for entering into the counting centres besides sanitisers will be kept in adequate quantity there. In the state capital Patna, votes for all the 14 assembly constituencies will be counted at just one centre set up at A.N. College.

The poll panel said it is readying 30 counting halls at the college. Bihar Chief Electoral Officer H R Srinivasa said the Election Commission has established a three-tier security system for strong rooms (housing the Electronic Voting Machines) and the counting centres.

The inner core is being guarded by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), then there is the Bihar Military Police (BMP) and then the district police, he told reporters.

(PTI)

Over 1100 candidates with criminal antecedents contested the Bihar assembly polls, according to data collated by the Election Commission.

In September, the EC had made the norms of publicity of criminal antecedents of candidates stringent by putting a timeline on when such advertisements should be published and broadcast during electioneering.

Expressing confidence about the NDA forming the government in Bihar, Karnataka CM Yediyurappa said: "Let there be no doubt about it... exit poll may be showing some variations, but according to me, 100 per cent we will be forming the government there."

Cong leaders to decide on political activities post poll results

Congress President Sonia Gandhi appoints Congress General Secretaries Randeep Singh Surjewala & Avinash Pandey as Observers of Bihar; both leaders will be reaching Patna today. They'll decide on political activities post poll results after talks with central leadership: Sources

Bihar: Former mukhiya Sanjay Verma shot dead in Patna's Paliganj earlier today. Police reached the incident site; further investigation underway.

Can't remain silent spectator to situations: EC Chandra on Bihar polls amid Covid-19 pandemic

Noting that the coronavirus pandemic presented a unique challenge for the poll panel in holding safe elections, Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra on Saturday said various facilities were extended to Covid-19 patients to cast their vote in the Bihar assembly polls, including postal ballot facility and extension of polling time.

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Bihar has voted for change: Congress

With the exit polls for Bihar out, the Congress on Saturday said Bihar has voted for change.

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Exit polls show Bihar polity on cusp of change

Bihar polity seems to be on the cusp of a change if the prediction of exit polls comes true on the counting day with basic issues of jobs and health care issues seem to have tilted the balance in the favour of RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.

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