In Bihar, polling is underway in five Lok Sabha constituencies of Supaul, Araria, Madhepura, Jhanjharpur and Khagaria under the third phase of Lok Sabha elections. Majority of seats where polling is taking place, fall under the Kosi region. As weather is pleasant today, long queues of voters are being witnessed at different polling booths. More than 98 lakh electorates of these five parliamentary constituencies will decide the electoral fate of 54 candidates.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made at polling booths of constituencies of Jhanjharpur, Araria and Supaul as they are located near the Indo-Nepal border. To ensure peaceful election, international border has been sealed till the end of polling process. Joint patrolling of Indian and Nepalese border security forces is underway. Arrangements have been made for live webcasting from several booths.
Polling will conclude before normal time at 167 booths of Naxal affected areas of Mahishi and Simri Bakhtiyarpur area of Madhepura and Khagaria Lok Sabha constituencies. Due to security reasons, the Election Commission has curtailed polling time from 7 am to 4 pm at these polling booths. In the remote riverine areas of Khagaria and Madhepura, special horse mounted security has been deployed.
All eyes are on Jhanjharpur Lok Sabha seat where the contest is likely to be triangular as the rebel of RJD and former MLA Gulab Yadav is contesting against Grand Alliance candidate of Vikas Sheel Insaan Party (VIP) Suman Kumar Mahaseth. Sitting MP Ramprit Mandal of JD(U) is contesting as NDA candidate from this seat. Former state minister and JD(U) nominee Dinesh Chandra Yadav from Madhepura, BJP nominee from Araria constituency Pradip Kumar Singh and JD(U) candidate from Supaul, Dileshwar Kamait are prominent candidates from NDA side in this phase. Shanawaz, younger son of former Union Minister Mohammed Taslimuddin is also trying his political fortune from Araria constituency as RJD candidate. Presently all seats of this phase are held by NDA constituent JD(U), BJP and LJP. In 2024 Lok Sabha elections, JDU and RJD are contesting three seats each while BJP, Lok Janshakti Party ( Ramvilas), Vikas Sheel Insaan Party (VIP) and CPM are contesting one seat each. Mayawati led BSP has fielded candidates on all five parliamentary seats of this phase.
Disclaimer: This press release is sourced from News On AIR, Prasar Bharti and Press Information Bureau India (PIB).
