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Bihar poll dates: In Nitish's appeal vs Tejashwi's change pitch, is PK a factor?
The Election Commission has announced a two-phase poll in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, with polling scheduled on November 6 and 11, with the results on Nov 14
The stage is set for a high-stakes contest in Bihar where the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will look forward to retaining its turf even as the opposition INDIA bloc is set to give a tight contest in the state.
The Election Commission has announced a two-phase poll in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, with polling scheduled on November 6 and November 11, while the counting of votes will take place on November 14.
Follow all the updates on Bihar Assembly Elections
The election comes after a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the roll list, where the poll body trimmed the total voters to 7.4 crore, in a controversial exercise which has now become a key issue for the opposition.
The upcoming election will be different from the last one, with Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj making its debut in Bihar and Chirag Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas) to be part of the NDA fold.
Here is what you need to expect from the upcoming assembly elections:
- In the current House, the BJP holds the largest share with 80 MLAs, followed by Nitish Kumar's JD(U) with 45 MLAs. The NDA also has backing of four MLAs from Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and two Independent MLAs.
- The opposition, consisting of the RJD, Congress and Left parties, together have 112 MLAs, with the RJD having 77 seats, Congress 19, CPI(ML) 11, CPI(M) 2 and and CPI 2.
- This election would also witness the debut of Jan Suraaj leader and former political strategist Prashant Kishor, who is se to contest the election for the first time. Kishor has announced that he would contest the polls in Bihar and that the list of his party's candidates will be declared on October 9.
- Kishor's Jan Suraj has focused on jobs, migration and corruption as key poll issues in the state, dominated by a two-party system. Kishor has claimed that his party would get votes of 28 per cent voters, who neither voted for the NDA nor INDIA bloc.
- Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, while addressing a briefing today, said over 7.42 crore voters are eligible to vote in Bihar. There are also 14 lakh first-time voters and 4 lakh senior citizen voters, Kumar said.
- Around 69 lakh names have been deleted during the SIR exercise conducted in the past few months. The SIR, which led to disruptions in the Monsoon session of the parliament, has been a key plank of the opposition in this election.
- In the first phase of polling in 121 seats on November 6, several key constituencies will go for voting, including Raghopur, which is the seat of Tejashwi Yadav; Begusarai, a BJP stronghold; Khagaria, where Congress' Chhatrapati Yadav won; Ujairpur and Patna Sahib.
- In the second phase of polling in 122 seats, some of the prominent constituencies include: Valmikinagar, Kargahar, Karakat, Bettiah, Motihari, Imamganj, Kishanganj and Purnea.
