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Lok Sabha election 2019: Battle of alliances in 5 seats in Bihar in second phase
Lok Sabha Elections 2019, Polling Phase 2: In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the BJP and its allies, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) of Ram Vilas Paswan and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), won 31 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats.
It’s a fight of the alliances in Bihar, where five parliamentary constituencies are polling in the second phase of Lok Sabha election 2019 on Thursday. The Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal(United) alliance and the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal coalition are battling against each other in Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur and Banka Lok Sabha seats on Thursday.
Also read: NDA looks for repeat of 2014 performance against Oppn alliance
In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the BJP and its allies, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) of Ram Vilas Paswan and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), won 31 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats.
The BJP contested 30 seats and won 22, LJP won six of the seven seats it contested and the RLSP, which is now a part of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), bagged all three seats that it fought. This time the BJP is contesting on 17 seats to accommodate the JD(U), which also got 17.
In the opposition ‘Mahagathbandhan’ or Grand Alliance, the RJD is contesting from 20 Lok Sabha seats and the Congress on nine while RLSP will put up candidates in five seats, HAM and VIP in three each. The RJD has given one seat out of its quota to the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML).
Also read: All you need to know about Bihar
A formidable JD(U) faces a resurgent RJD, rising anti-incumbency against chief minister Nitish Kumar and a deteriorating law-and-order situation that mars its biggest campaign focus: governance.
The Kishanganj, Katihar and Purnia Lok Sabha seats in Seemanchal are being contested by Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) as part of the alliance deal.
The Muslim majority constituency of Kishanganj in Bihar has 14 contestants, including eight Muslim candidates, who are contesting the polls on Thursday. The main fight is between Mohammad Javed of the Congress and Mahmood Ashraf of the JD(U).
Also read: In Kishanganj, triangular contest between Congress, JD(U) and AIMIM
Spread over six assembly segments and known as the political capital of Seemanchal, the Kishanganj Lok Sabha constituency is also witnessing nominees of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), All India Majlis-e Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Trinamool Congress (TMC), Bahujan Mukti Morcha (BMM), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Shiv Sena in the fray. Five independent candidates are also fighting.
In Katihar, a five-time member of Parliament and Congress leader Tariq Anwar (Congress) is pitted against JD(U) candidate Dular Chand Goswami.
Purnia Lok Sabha seat is witnessing Congress’ Uday Singh fight against Santosh Kumar Kushwah of the JD(U).
Also read: In Bihar’s four seats, Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi try their luck in first phase
Bhagalpur will see its sitting MP Bulo Mandal of the RJD trying to retain his seat. He is up against JD(U) leader Ajay Kumar Mandal.
The current RJD lawmaker from Banka Lok Sabha seat, Jai Prakash Yadav is up against Girdhari Yadav of the JD(U) and Independent candidate Putul Kumari.
The counting of votes will take place on May 23.
