Tight security for Fatuha assembly bypoll in Bihar

Security has been tightened for Thursday's bypoll to Fatuah assembly seat in Bihar which would see a direct fight between ruling JD(U) nominee Arun Manjhi and RJD-backed LJP's Punit Rai, a relative of Ram Vilas Paswan.

Security has been tightened for Thursday's bypoll to Fatuah assembly seat in Bihar which would see a direct fight between ruling JD(U) nominee Arun Manjhi and RJD-backed LJP's Punit Rai, a relative of Ram Vilas Paswan.

HT Image

"District Armed Police (DAP), Bihar Military Police (BMP) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel would be deployed in all the 212 booths of the constituency," District Magistrate (Patna) Jitendra Kumar Sinha said.

An estimated 2.21 lakh voters are eligible to participate in Thursday's balloting to decide the electoral fate of six candidates.

Sinha said patrolling would be intensified between polling centres and an eye would be kept on the trouble-makers during polls.

Senior police officers would camp in the constituency to oversee the poll process, he said.

The seat fell vacant after the death of JD(U) MLA Saryug Paswan. It was expected that JD(U) would field his widow Damayanti Devi, but the party opted for Arun Manjhi, a local social worker.

Angry over denial of a JD(U) ticket, Damayanti has entered the fray as a BSP candidate.