Bihar election: 44.51% polling in the second phase

Voting began for the crucial second phase of the Bihar assembly elections in which over 2.85 crore voters are eligible to decide the fate of 1,463, candidates across 94 of the total 243 assembly seats on Tuesday. Polling percentage is at 44.51% in the second phase , Election Commission said.

Notable among the candidates is RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, the opposition Grand Alliance’s Chief Ministerial candidate, who is seeking re-election from Raghopur in Vaishali district which he had took back for his party from the BJP’s Satish Kumar in 2015.

Also in the fray is Tejashwi’s elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav, who after shifting his base from Mahua in Vaishali is trying his luck from Hasanpur in Samastipur district.

The last day of campaigning witnessed hectic canvassing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing four back-to-back rallies in support of NDA candidates. BJP candidates are involved in 46 of the seats, while another 43 are being contested by those with JD(U) tickets. Mukesh Sahni-led Vikassheel Insaan Party, the latest entrant in the NDA, is contesting the remaining five.

A voter turnout of 55.69% was recorded in the first phase of Bihar assembly polls held on October 28, the Election Commission said in its provisional data. Polling was held 71 assembly constituencies amid tight security and COVID-19 guidelines in place.