Campaigning for Phase 1 of Bihar polls comes to an end

The voting in the first phase on Wednesday will decide fate of nearly half-a-dozen ministers of Nitish Kumar cabinet-Krishnandan Varma, Prem Kumar, Jay Kumar Singh, Santosh Kumar Nirala, Vijay Sinha and Ram Narayan Mandal.

Campaigning for 71 assembly segments of Bihar which go to polls on October 28, in the first phase of elections, came to end on Monday.

Ahead of the first phase of polling, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed as many as three rallies where he urged the voters to vote Chief Minister Nitish Kumar back to power.

PM Modi and other BJP star campaigners like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and party president Jagat Ptakash Nadda repeatedly cited Ram temple at Ayodhya, scrapping of Article 370 and law against triple talaq as achievements of the government at the Centre and attacked the opposition for opposing these.

69-year-old Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is also the JD-U president and is seeking a fourth term in power, held a series of virtual rallies followed by dozens of election meetings.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who has been named by his party as its Chief Ministerial candidate, also ran an indefatigable campaign which comprised rallies, video messages relayed through the social media and press conferences.

Massive turnouts and enthusiastic response from the crowds at his rallies have been a surprise for political observers who have underscored that the ambience spoke more of the anti-incumbency than the appeal of the former Deputy CM.

Another huge draw has been Lok Janshakti Party president Chirag Paswan who stunned all with his decision to go solo in the assembly polls.

The LJP chief waged a bitter campaign against the JD-U which he has vowed to dislodge from power in the state while at the same time announcing his loyalty towards the saffron party.

Altogether 1066 candidates are in the fray for the first phase of elections, 114 of them females.

The voting in the first phase on Wednesday will decide fate of nearly half-a-dozen ministers of Nitish Kumar cabinet-Krishnandan Varma, Prem Kumar, Jay Kumar Singh, Santosh Kumar Nirala, Vijay Sinha and Ram Narayan Mandal.

The 71 constituencies going to vote on October fall in six districts, including naxal-hit Gaya, Rohtas and Aurangabad.

Among the prominent parties while RJD is contesting on 42 of the 71 seats in the first phase, JD(U) candidates are in 41 constituencies, BJP (29), Congress (21) and LJP nominees are in fray at 41 places.