Voters stand in a queue to cast their votes outside a polling station.
Bihar Election 2020: The second phase of polling on 94 seats across 17 districts is set to take place today. Out of 94, the BJP is contesting on 46 seats while the JD(U) at 43 to defeat the RJD-Congress-left alliance in the state. Campaigning for the second phase of Bihar assembly elections ended on Sunday evening. The first phase of polling was held on October 28 on 71 seats while voting for the third phase will held on November 7 on 78 seats. The counting of votes will take place on November 10.
Bihar Election 2020 second phase polling | All you need to know
- According to the Election Commission, more than 2.85 crore voters will decide the electoral fate of 1,463 candidates -- 1,316 male, 146 female and one transgender.
- The last day of campaigning witnessed hectic canvassing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing four back-to-back rallies in support of NDA candidates, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who is also in the fray in this phase, criss-crossing over a dozen venues.
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- Of the total 2,85,50,285 voters 1,50,33,034 are male, 1,35,16,271 female and 980 transgender, as per the poll panel data.
- The Election Commission said it has set up a total of 41,362 booths at 18,823 polling stations. Maharajganj constituency has the maximum 27 candidates in this phase, while the minimum four are from Darauli constituency (SC).
- The 94 constituencies which are going to poll on November 3 are in 17 districts: West Champaran, East Champaran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Samastipur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Nalanda and Patna.
- Though the left, a marginal player in the Tejashwi-Rahul alliance will just be fighting at 8 seats on Tuesday, the BJP in its campaign reorganised its strategy in terms of highlighting that. Top leaders including PM Narendra Modi and BJP President JP Nadda stressed on it, repeatedly to highlight its alleged anti-industry stance which may hurt the RJD's 10 lakh job creation plank.
- BJP's focus has remained 'jungle raj' of the Lalu Prasad era and repeated comparison between LED bulbs, a sign of modernity and lantern, which is also the electoral symbol of the RJD. Be it Manoj Tiwary or JP Nadda, be it nukkad meetings or big rallies -- the 'jungle raj' barb has been the encompassing theme in BJP's phase 2 election.
- Among star constituencies that will go to poll on Tuesday is Harnaut which falls under Nalanda, that has Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's village. Shatrughan Sinha's son Luv Sinha who is fighting on a Congress ticket, will also fight it out from Bankipur seat in Patna. Another VIP seat going to polls tomorrow is Raghopur Assembly constituency where Tejashwi's fight has been made tougher due to a triangular fight with the BJP and the LJP.
- In another interesting development, in local placards, BJP has brought back Nitish Kumar's face which went amiss initially. However, whether it is the tribals in West Champaran or the maithili speaking Darbhanga rural voters, BJP's trump card for all seats in the second phase remains the same: PM Modi's image.
- Though Nitish has made a comeback into its placards, but the slogan remains the same: ' Bhajpa hai, to bharosa hai' with Modi's photo taking prominence.
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