PATNA: The three-phase election for the 243-member state assembly concluded on Saturday with an estimated 57.9% voter turnout recorded in the third and final round held in 78 constituencies in Seemanchal, Kosi, Mithila and Tirhut regions. The total turnout in 2015
Saturday’s turnout of 57.9% is the highest compared to the earlier two phases held on October 28 (55.7%) and November 3 (55.6%).
The last leg of the election is important for both the ruling NDA and the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan. Out of 78, 24 seats are in Seemanchal region consisting Kishanganj, Katihar, Araria and Purnia districts, which have a sizable population of Muslims.
“The stakes were very high for CM and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar, who played an emotional card in his campaigning for the last phase of polling,” said a poll analyst Professor D M Diwakar.
In the Seemanchal region, the GA has an advantage due to a majority of the constituencies having a large number of Muslim voters. As per EC's data, Kishanganj recorded the highest voter turnout of 62.6% followed by Katihar (61.6%) and Purnia (59.3). Araria, however, witnessed a comparatively low turnout at 54.58%.
Similarly, Kosi belt consisting Saharsa, Supaul and Madhepura recorded a huge turnout of voters. While Saharsa recorded 60.20%, Madhepura recorded 59% and Supaul 61.19%, respectively. A muscleman-turned politician Anand Mohan's wife Lovely Anand is contesting from Saharsa on an RJD ticket. The state energy minister Bijendra Prasad is also in the fray.
On the other hand, the BJP-JD(U) combine has its strong influence in Mithilanachal comprising Darbhanga and Madhubani and Tirhut region consisting of Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi. Madhubani recorded a voter turnout of 56.36% whereas polling percentage in Sitamarhi stood at 55.8%. Ritu Jaiswal, an award-winning mukhiya, is in the fray as RJD candidate from Parihar in Sitamarhi district.
East Champaran and West Champaran recorded a turnout of 57.16% and 56.02%, respectively. In 2015 election, the BJP led NDA had managed to bag the majority of the seats in Champaran region despite the saffron party's overall poor performance. Majority of the exit polls gave an edge to the Mahagathbandhan comprising RJD, Congress and Left parties.
State CEO H R Srinivasa said that the three-phase election passed off peacefully barring a sporadic minor incident of clashes. “It was a big challenge for the commission to conduct elections amid Covid19 pandemic in Bihar which has around 7.3 crore voters. However, a large number of voters exercised their franchise defying the fear of pandemic,” he added.
Altogether 1204 candidates were in the fray in the last phase. Meanwhile, an independent candidate from Benipatti in Madhubani district Neeraj Jha succumbed to Coronavirus infection on Saturday. Jha, a former JD(U) leader, was undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Patna for the last 10 days after being infected with the deadly virus.
A presiding officer Kedar Rai died due to heart attack at a polling booth under Katra block in Muzaffarpur district. Rai, employed with the state irrigation department, was deployed at polling booth number 190 in Katra block in the district.
CEO H R Srinivasa confirmed an incident of firing outside a polling booth in Dhamdaha assembly constituency in Purnia district after a heated argument between some residents and the security personnel, who allegedly thrashed some voters for breaking the queue at polling booth number 282.
In another incident, a brother of an RJD nominee Bittu Singh was killed near Sarsi village in Purnia district. The deceased, Beni Singh, was attacked by some assailants when he was moving from one booth to another in Dhamdaha assembly constituency.
Also, an FIR was lodged against RJD nominee Sarfaraz Alam for defying model code of conduct by wearing a badge of the party while visiting his polling booth to cast his vote in Jokihat assembly constituency. Reports of poll boycott for lack of road also poured in from a few polling booths in Madhepura district.
Valmikinagar bypoll
The by-poll for the Valmiki Nagar parliamentary constituency in West Champaran district recorded an estimated voter turnout of 56.03%. In the 2019 general election, the polling percentage stood at 61.89%. Similarly, an estimated 55.09% voter turnout was registered at three polling booths in Hilsa assembly constituency in Nalanda district. Re-poll was held on polling booths 52, 52A and 55 on EC’s directive.