Bihar heads into the second and final phase of its Assembly elections on Tuesday, with high stakes for both the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc. A total of 1,302 candidates, including several ministers and prominent political figures, are in the fray across 122 constituencies in 20 districts.
More than 3.7 crore voters, with women accounting for nearly half, will exercise their franchise between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. The final round covers Bihar’s northern and eastern belts, including West and East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria, and Kishanganj.
Key Contests to Watch
- Katihar: BJP’s Tarkishore Prasad is battling Dr. Ghazi Sharique from Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) in a closely watched contest.
- Bhagalpur: The BJP’s Rohit Pandey faces Congress’s Ajeet Sharma in a prestige battle.
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Bettiah (West Champaran): Former Deputy CM and BJP veteran Renu Devi is eyeing her sixth victory, facing Madan Mohan Tiwari of the Congress.
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Jhanjharpur (Madhubani): BJP’s Nitish Mishra takes on Birendra Kumar Singh of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
With 45,399 polling stations, of which 40,073 are located in rural areas, the election machinery is on full alert. The Hisua constituency in Nawada district has emerged as the largest, with 3.67 lakh eligible voters.
The first phase of polling saw a record turnout of over 64%, the highest in Bihar’s history, underscoring the electorate’s enthusiasm and high political engagement.
Political Alliances
The NDA has divided seats among its partners, JD(U) is contesting 57 seats, BJP 48, and LJP (Ram Vilas) 14. On the other side, the Mahagathbandhan has fielded RJD candidates on 73 seats, Congress on 24, and CPI(ML) on 14, though a few constituencies will see friendly fights among alliance partners.
The Jan Suraaj Party, led by Prashant Kishor, has fielded 119 candidates in this phase. A total of 122 women candidates are in the fray, marking a notable presence in the state’s electoral field.
