In Bihar, polling is underway in five Lok Sabha constituencies of Purnea, Katihar, Bhagalpur, Kishanganj, and Banka under the second phase of Lok Sabha polls. Long queues of voters are being witnessed at different polling booths. Special enthusiasm is being seen among youth and women voters. Around 94 lakh electorates of these five parliamentary constituencies will decide the fate of 50 candidates.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made at polling booths of constituencies of Kishanganj, Katihar and Purnea which fall under Seemanchal region. Inter state border along West Bengal in Kishanganj has been sealed. Arrangements have been made for live webcasting from several booths. Polling will conclude before normal time at some booths of Naxal affected areas of Katoria and Belhar in Banka parliamentary constituency. Voting will end at 4 PM in a Left-wing extremism infested area.
Former union minister Tarique Anwar from Congress in Katihar Lok Sabha constituency, former MP and Independent candidate Pappu Yadav from Purnea, AIMIM state president Akhtarul Iman from Kishanganj, former Union Minister and RJD candidate Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav from Banka and sitting JD(U) MP Ajay Kumar Mandal from Bhagalpur are prominent candidates in this phase. All eyes are on Purnea Lok Sabha seat where the contest is triangular as JD(U) candidate Santosh Kushwaha, RJD nominee Bima Bharati and Independent Pappu Yadav are in the fray. In Kishanganj, a multi corner contest is also being witnessed between Congress candidate Muhammed Jawed, JD(U) nominee Muzahid Alam and AIMIM state president Akhtarul Iman.
From NDA side electoral fortune of five nominees of JD(U) is at stake as the party is contesting all seats of this phase. On the other hand from Grand Alliance, Congress has fielded three candidates and RJD is contesting 2 seats.
Disclaimer: This press release is sourced from News On AIR, Prasar Bharti and Press Information Bureau India (PIB).
