The crucial second phase of Bihar poll for 94 seats across 17 districts of the state began on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
Huge deployment of security forces are on each polling booths. Election will end at 6 pm due to COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2015 assembly elections out of these 94 seats, RJD had won 33 while, 30 seats had gone to JD(U). The BJP and Congress party had registered win on 20 and seven seats respectively while, Lok Janshakti Party had won the poll in two constituencies and, one seat each had gone to Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and Independent candidates.
In 2015 both RJD and JD(U) had contested assembly poll together and had got 151 seats (RJD-80, JD-U 71) to form the government in 243 state assembly. The BJP had got 53 seats.
However, later, chief minister Nitish Kumar had parted ways from RJD to join hands again with BJP again to continue as CM of the state.
Here are the latest updates:
Parties locked in tough contests
In this second phase, the Rashtriya Janata Dal contesting 56 seats while, Bharatiya Janata Party on 46 and the Janata Dal (United) 43 seats in this phase. The Congress party has put up candidates in 24 constituencies while, the three Left parties on 14 seats. The NDA ally Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP) will be contesting on 5 seats out of total 11 seats allotted to them.
On 28 seats RJD candidates will be locked in direct contest against BJP nominees while, on 24 seats they (RJD) will be fighting against JD(U) candidates.
The Congress party candidates will be contesting 12 seats each against JD(U) and BJP nominees. The VIP candidates, in this phase poll, are pitched against RJD candidates on all 5 seats.
COVID-19 guidelines
In view of the coronavirus situation, not more than 1,000 people will vote at one booth and wearing face masks has been made mandatory. Earlier the upper limit of voters at a booth was 1,600.
The Election Commission said 12.8 lakh hand sanitiser bottles (100 ml) each and 6.4 lakh bottles (500 ml each) have been provided across the state for use during the exercise, besides 1.06 lakh infrared thermometers, 25.6 lakh pair of gloves, 56 lakh masks and 12.8 lakh face shields.
Lalu’s sons in fray
Besides Tejashwi, his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav and four state ministers are also in the fray in this phase, which also features one transgender candidate, fielded by the LJP. Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha’s son Luv Sinha is also contesting the poll in this phase.
(With inputs from Agencies)
On Monday, the leaders of the National Democratic Alliance, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Lok Janshakti Party addressed a series of public meetings on Monday to seek votes for their candidates in the last and third phase of elections in Bihar scheduled for November 7.