(Image source from: Indiatoday.in)
The outcome for multiple ministers, along with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and his separated brother Tej Pratap, will be determined today as Bihar prepares for the initial phase of elections. In this round, the NDA will compete with a stronger Mahagathbandhan. The Jan Suraaj Party, led by former poll strategist Prashant Kishor, has been labeled as the 'X' factor, introducing an element of suspense to this important contest. In this first phase, 121 assembly constituencies across 18 districts will go to vote, many of which are located south of the Ganga River. Back in 2020, the Mahagathbandhan, headed by the RJD, came out ahead, winning 63 seats compared to the NDA's 55. It will be interesting to see if history repeats itself, as this area, including the state capital Patna, has frequently influenced Bihar's political landscape.
Important locations in this election phase include Raghopur, where Tejashwi aims for a third win; Mahua, where Tej Pratap is competing; and Tarapur, where Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is running. The campaign for this first phase focused on issues like unemployment, law enforcement, and claims that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is being controlled by the BJP. In response, the NDA referenced "jungle raj" to critique the RJD. Raghopur will host a fierce race, with Tejashwi facing BJP’s Satish Kumar, who previously beat his mother Rabri Devi in 2010. This time, Kumar is running with the JD(U) symbol. Prashant Kishor's party is also competing. Nearby in Mahua, Tej Pratap will try to take the seat from the current RJD MLA Mukesh Raushan. For Tej Pratap, this election is especially significant after his removal from the RJD earlier this year.
Folk artist Maithili Thakur, running on a BJP ticket, is contesting from Alinagar, an area traditionally held by the RJD. Thakur, the youngest candidate from the BJP, hopes her popularity will help her succeed in the predominantly upper caste Brahmin region. Bhojpuri film stars Khesari Lal Yadav, running for the RJD in Chhapra, and Ritesh Pandey, representing the Jan Suraaj Party in Kargahar, will also be part of the election activities. Several ministers from the Nitish Kumar administration, including Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, will see their electoral outcomes determined as well. While Sinha aims to secure Lakhisarai for the fourth time in a row, Choudhary is entering the assembly elections after nearly ten years in Tarapur.
The important seat of Siwan will have 53-year-old Mangal Pandey, who is Bihar's health minister and a past leader of the state BJP, participating in his first assembly election. He is up against Awadh Chaudhary from the RJD, a former assembly Speaker. How can any election in Bihar happen without powerful figures? This time, there are many influential candidates involved, including Osama Shahab, the son of Mohammad Shahabuddin from Raghunathpur, and Anant Singh from JD(U). What started as a typical assembly contest has become a significant competition between two powerful individuals in Mokama after a supporter of Jan Suraaj was killed. Anant Singh from JD(U), who is in jail related to the murder, is facing off against the wife of RJD's Suraj Bhan, who is connected to gang activities.
As women voters become a key group, both parties have made substantial promises. The NDA has attracted attention with a cash transfer plan of Rs 10,000, while the opposition countered with Tejashwi Yadav's commitment of Rs 30,000 through the 'Mai Bahin Maan Yojana.' The elections are taking place amidst the special intensive revision of voter lists, which resulted in around 60 lakh people being removed from the rolls. The opposition claims that this process was meant to prevent many people from marginalized communities from voting.
