BSF choppers for phase 4 of Bihar poll today

The polling in the 42 Assembly constituencies in eight districts – Patna, Bhagalpur, Munger, Sheikhpura, Jamui, Begusarai, Khagaria and Lakhisarai – will take place on Monday amid tightest security ever. However, keeping in mind that all the eight districts are Maoist-affected, the timing of polling in the 13 Assembly constituencies will be from 7 am to 3 pm. Elsewhere, it will be up to 5 pm.

Seal the fate

More than one crore voters, including 46 lakh women, will decide the fate of 568 candidates in the fray. Prominent among those whose fate will be sealed on Monday include Pashupati Kumar Paras, younger brother of Ram Vilas Paswan, ministers in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet Ashwani Choubey and Nand Kishore Yadav, and Parveen Amanullah, wife of Bihar Cabinet Secretary Afzal Amanullah.

While the Congress has fielded candidates on all 42 seats, the Bahujan Samaj Party is in the fray in 40 constituencies.

Among the ruling alliance, the Janata Dal (United) is contesting on 25 seats while its junior partner – the BJP – in 17 constituencies. Similarly, Lalu’s Rashtriya Janata Dal is in fray in 26 constituencies leaving the rest 16 seats for the Lok Janshakti Party.