Bihar elections phase 2: Voting largely peaceful; 31.38% polling recorded till 11am

Key constituencies include Sasaram, Imamganj, Mohania, Bihpur, Gopalpur, Pirpainti, Bhagalpur, Sultanganj, and Nathnagar.

The second phase of polling across 122 assembly constituencies in over 20 districts of Bihar started off in a peaceful note at 7am on Tuesday, with a voter turnout of 31.38% recorded till 11am, which is slightly higher than the voter turnout at the same time during the first phase of polls held on November 6.

People wait to cast their votes at a polling booth in Jehanabad, Bihar, on Tuesday. (PTI)

Among the 20 districts, Kishanganj recorded the highest turnout of 34.74 per cent, followed by Gaya with 34.07 per cent and Jamui with 33.69 per cent till 9am. The lowest was recorded in Madhubani (28.66 per cent).

The overall voter turnout in the state was around 65.08 percent in the first phase of polling.

A total of 3,70,13,556 electors will vote in the second phase, including 1,95,44,041 male voters and 1,74,68,572 female voters; 943 other gender voters will also cast their vote.

The second phase will decide the fate of 12 ministers from chief minister Nitish Kumar’s cabinet, including JD(U) leaders Vijendra Yadav (contesting from Supaul assembly constituency), Lesi Singh (Dhamdaha), Jayant Kushwaha (Amarpur), Sumit Singh (Chakai), Mohammad Jama Khan (Chainpur), and Sheela Mandal (Phoolparas).

Ministers from the BJP in the fray include Prem Kumar (Gaya), Renu Devi (Bettiah), Vijay Kumar Mandal (Sikati), Nitish Mishra (Jhanjharpur), Neeraj Bablu (Chhatapur), and Krishnanandan Paswan (Harsiddhi).

Other key constituencies include Sasaram, Imamganj, Mohania, Bihpur, Gopalpur, Pirpainti, Bhagalpur, Sultanganj, and Nathnagar.

For the ruling NDA and opposition INDIA bloc the second phase of polls is as crucial as the first phase of polls as both the major combination have the challenge of improving their performance in 122 seats, which are spread in districts like West Champaran, Seemanchal districts, south and west Bihar including Gaya, Rohtas, Kaimur and Aurangabad districts.

Out of the 122 seats, 11 assembly seats in East Champaran, 10 each in Madhubani and Gaya, nine in West Champaran, eight in Sitamarhi, and seven each in Bhagalpur, Rohtas, Purnia, and Katihar. Six assembly seats will go to the polls in Araria and Aurangabad each.

Nawada, Banka, and Supaul will each witness contests on five seats. Kaimur, Jamui, and Kishanganj have four seats each, Jehanabad has three, followed by two assembly seats in Arwal, and one in Sheohar district.

Out of all these seats, the BJP won 42 seats in the 2020 assembly elections, while the RJD emerged victorious on 33 seats. The Janata Dal (United) bagged 20 seats, Congress won 11, and Left parties collectively secured five.

There has been no poll violence or stray incidents reported from 20 districts till 10.15am though there were reports of boycotts given by voters at 32 villages in Don area of West Champaran in protest against various civic woes including poor road and infrastructure.