The second phase of voting saw top politicians as early voters. Casting his vote at a government school in Digha, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar urged people to vote in large numbers. Polling got underway in 94 constituencies of Bihar assembly on Tuesday morning in the second phase of elections which will decide the electoral fate of RJD leader and Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav and more than 1,450 other candidates. "Everyone should come out to cast his/her vote," Kumar said in a brief statement after polling his vote.
The voting began at 7 am but the time for its conclusion has been extended by one hour till 6 pm to facilitate COVID-19 patients and those with symptoms of the disease to exercise their franchise in the last hour. Polling will, however, conclude early in naxal-hit areas. Voting will end at 4 pm on eight seats of Gaura Bauram and Kusheshwar Asthan in Darbhanga district, Minapur, Paroo and Sahebganj in Muzaffarpur, Alauli and Beldour in Khagaria, and Raghpur in Vaishali. The polling hours have been reduced in the three Muzaffarpur seats because of their naxal history, while in the rest five due to other reasons related to terrain and riverine settings.
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RJD leader and the Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav also voted early Tuesday morning. "I appeal to people to take part in this festival of democracy. I am confident people will bring change with the power of their vote," he said. His mother and former Bihar chief minister, Rabri Devi, also exercised her franchise. She said there is a need for change and development in Bihar. Tej Pratap Yadav too urged people to vote for "change" in Bihar.
Deputy Chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi cast his vote in polling booth no. 49 at St Joseph High School in Patna's Rajendra Nagar. Minister of State for Home and BJP leader Nityanand Rai also polled his vote in Karanpura of the Hajipur assembly constituency. About 8.05 percentage of voter turnout was recorded till 9 am in the second phase of polling.
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