3.7 cr voters to decide fate of 1302 candidates in final phase of Bihar polls today; By-polls on 8 seats across country

PATNA (Bihar): Preparations are under way for the second and last phase of the Bihar Assembly polls, where 3.7 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,302 candidates across 122 constituencies today.

The second phase will decide the fate of 12 ministers from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s cabinet. Among them are JD(U) leaders Vijendra Yadav (contesting from Supaul assembly constituency), Lesi Singh (Dhamdaha), Jayant Kushwaha (Amarpur), Sumit Singh (Chakai), Mohammad Jama Khan (Chainpur), and Sheela Mandal (Phoolparas).

Ministers from the BJP in the fray include Prem Kumar (Gaya), Renu Devi (Bettiah), Vijay Kumar Mandal (Sikati), Nitish Mishra (Jhanjharpur), Neeraj Bablu (Chhatapur), and Krishnanandan Paswan (Harsiddhi).

Other key constituencies include Sasaram, Imamganj, Mohania, Bihpur, Gopalpur, Pirpainti, Bhagalpur, Sultanganj, and Nathnagar.

Dr Anand Kumar, Presiding Officer at Bhagalpur said, “In the Durga Charan High School, four booths have been set up and this is booth no 47. The number of voters is 945…I am hopeful that people will come out to vote in large numbers…All the preparations have been made.”

In Sasaram, Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha’s wife, Snehlata Kushwaha, is contesting as the NDA candidate, while Satendra Sah of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is representing the Mahagathbandhan. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party, has fielded Binay Kumar Singh.

Former Bihar Chief Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, who previously represented the Imamganj seat, is once again testing his party’s influence in this key region. HAM(S) has again fielded Deepa Kumari as the NDA candidate. She has represented the seat since 2024. Mahagathbandhan has nominated Ritu Priya Chaudhary. Jan Suraaj Party has fielded Ajeet Kumar.

In Mohania, incumbent MLA Sangita Kumari, who earlier won the seat from the Rashtriya Janata Dal, is seeking to regain the victory from the seat on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket. The grand alliance has extended its support to independent candidate Ravi Shankar Paswan, son of BJP leader and former MP and MLA, Chhedi Paswan, after RJD candidate Shweta Suman’s nomination was cancelled.

In Bihpur, sitting BJP MLA Kumar Shailendra is seeking a third consecutive win. He is facing a challenge from Arpana Kumari (VIP), representing the Mahagathbandhan, and Pawan Choudhary (Jan Suraaj).In Gopalpur, JD(U)’s Shailesh Kumar alias Bulo Mandal is contesting against Prem Sagar alias Dablu Yadav (VIP) of Mahagathbandhan and Mankeshwar Singh alias Mantu Singh (Jan Suraaj). Pirpainti (SC) seat sees a three-way contest between Murari Pasavan (BJP), Ram Vilash Paswan (RJD), and Ghanshyam Das (Jan Suraaj).

Bhagalpur Assembly constituency is seeing a contest between Congress MLA Ajeet Sharma, BJP’s Rohit Pandey, and Jan Suraaj’s Abhay Kant Jha.
Sultanganj is witnessing a fight between JD(U)’s sitting MLA Lalit Narayan Mandal, Chandan Kumar (RJD) and Lalan Kumar (Congress).In Nathnagar, Mithun Kumar (LJP-RV) is facing Sheikh Zeyaul Hassan (RJD), Ajay Kumar Roy (Jan Suraaj) and Mohmmad Ismail (AIMIM).

Out of the 122 seats, 11 assembly seats in East Champaran, 10 each in Madhubani and Gaya, nine in West Champaran, eight in Sitamarhi, and seven each in Bhagalpur, Rohtas, Purnia, and Katihar. Six assembly seats will go to the polls in Araria and Aurangabad each.

Nawada, Banka, and Supaul will each witness contests on five seats. Kaimur, Jamui, and Kishanganj have four seats each, Jehanabad has three, followed by two assembly seats in Arwal, and one in Sheohar district.

Out of all the seats that will go to the polls tomorrow, the BJP won 42 seats in the 2020 assembly elections, while the RJD emerged victorious on 33 seats. The Janata Dal (United) bagged 20 seats, Congress won 11, and Left parties collectively secured five.
Polling in the second phase will be held at 45,399 centres.

NDA comprises the BJP, JD(U), HAMS, LJP (RV), and other parties, and is seeking to retain power for a second term. The Mahagathbandhan, comprising the Congress, RJD, left parties, and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), is looking to regain power. Jan Suraaj is also confident of its prospects.

The first phase of the Bihar elections marked the highest polling percentage in the state’s history.

The state saw a record 65.08 per cent polling in the first phase of polling, with all political parties, including Jan Suraaj, interpreting the high voter turnout in their favour.

Alongside the Bihar polls, eight assembly constituencies across the country will also go to by-polls today.

The by-elections will take place in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam and Nagrota, Rajasthan’s Anta, Jharkhand’s Ghatshila, Telangana’s Jubilee Hills, Punjab’s Tarn Taran, Mizoram’s Dampa, and Odisha’s Nuapada constituencies. (ANI)