NEW DELHI: Election fever gripped Bihar on Friday as the filing of nomination papers for the first phase of Assembly polls concluded, with the ruling NDA projecting a resolute campaign in sharp contrast to the disarray seen in the opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc.
According to the Election Commission, more than 1,250 candidates filed their papers for the 121 seats which go to polls on November 6, and the number was likely to go up as data was still flowing in from districts.
In at least half-a-dozen constituencies, more than one INDIA bloc candidate has filed nomination papers and these seats may end up witnessing “friendly fights” among the constituents unless one of the nominees pulls out by October 20.
The 243 Assembly seats in the state will go to the polls in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with the counting of votes scheduled to take place on November 14.
POLLS UNDER NITISH KUMAR’S LEADERSHIP
Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh on Friday said that the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections will be contested under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He reaffirmed that the NDA alliance stands united behind Nitish Kumar as its leader in the state. The BJP has, however, declared to decide the chief minister only after the elections.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a swipe at the opposition RJD for giving a ticket to late gangster-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin’s son, Osama Shahab, asking how it can ensure the security of the people of Bihar if it fields such candidates. Addressing an election rally in Saran district of the poll-bound state, Shah claimed the NDA will return to power in the state with the biggest majority in 20 years. The RJD has fielded Shahab from the Raghunathpur assembly constituency in Siwan district.
Launching a scathing attack at the RJD, Home Minister Amit Shah said the NDA and Nitish Kumar’s fight has been against the “jungle raj” which came to existence during Lalu and Rabri’s tenure as Bihar chief ministers.
“If you want to know how Lalu-Rabri kept Bihar under their rule, there cannot be a better place than Chhapra. NDA and Nitish Kumar’s fight was against their ‘jungle raj’ back then, and now it is against that ideology. I want to tell you all that NDA is going to form the government with the biggest ever majority in the last 20 years. We are contesting the Bihar elections under Nitish Kumar, while PM Modi is the central figure of the NDA. Bihar will get to celebrate Diwali four times this year,” he said while addressing a rally at Saran in Chhapra district.
Campaigning for the BJP in Begusarai, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Whether it is Begusarai or the rest of Bihar, the momentum is clearly in favour of the NDA. The people are supporting the NDA. Bihar has always shown great affection for Prime Minister Modi, and the state has consistently stood by him. I believe that under the leadership of PM Modi and Nitish Kumar, Bihar is once again aligned with the NDA.”
Hindustan Awam Morcha chief and former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said, “Amit Shah is one of the key leaders of the NDA, and if he has made a statement, it should be considered official. However, personally, I feel that the name of the prospective Chief Minister should be decided before the election. There should be no ambiguity. This kind of uncertainty exists in the Mahagathbandhan, which is why their candidate list has not yet been finalised.
“Personally, I believe it is important that the public is informed in advance about who will be the Chief Minister before the election,” he added.
On seat sharing in the Mahagathbandhan, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh says, “It is not a Mahagathbandhan but a ‘Thagbandhan’. Now they are cheating each other…” He further says, “The statement of the Home Minister is being twisted and presented out of context. The Home Minister has repeatedly said that we are contesting the Bihar Assembly elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. Who will be the Chief Minister will be decided by the NDA legislative party. This has been the tradition… The Home Minister’s statement should be seen in its full context… The opposition parties have no election issues, so they are resorting to such misinformation to gain political mileage…”
Bihar minister Mangal Pandey has declared moveable and immovable assets worth over Rs 2.34 crore in his election affidavit, officials said on Friday. Pandey, a former state BJP president contesting assembly polls for the first time, is contesting from Siwan. According to Pandey’s affidavit, he holds movable assets worth Rs 1.47 crore and immovable property worth Rs 87 lakh. His wife holds movable assets worth Rs 52.84 lakh and immovable assets worth Rs 43 lakh.
Congress MP Akhilesh Singh confirmed that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav will be the chief ministerial face of the Mahagathbandhan alliance in Bihar. Singh said that discussions on seat-sharing among the alliance partners are currently underway.
Congress leader Tariq Anwar said there is no harm in naming Tejashwi Yadav as the Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial face, even as the alliance struggles with a seat-sharing impasse while the deadline for filing phase-1 ended on Friday.
Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahni’s brother, Sunil Sahni, has filed his nomination papers from Darbhanga’s Gaura Boram Assembly constituency. Until 12 noon on Friday, there was widespread speculation that Mukesh Sahni himself would contest from the seat. However, at the last moment, he fielded his brother as the party’s candidate.
Mukesh Sahni announced that he will not contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Instead, Sahni said he will dedicate his efforts to campaigning for his party’s candidates across the state. “I have decided not to contest this election. My focus will be on ensuring the victory of our candidates and strengthening the party’s presence in every region of Bihar,” Sahni said while addressing reporters in Patna.
