As Bihar Votes Today, All Eyes on 122 Seats — Who’s Winning the Battle for Patna?

All arrangements are in place as polling is underway for the second and final phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, which is deciding the fate of 1,302 candidates, including 12 ministers from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s cabinet.

Voting is taking place across 122 constituencies out of the total 243, with 3.7 crore voters eligible to cast their ballots. The first phase, held earlier, recorded a turnout of 65.08 per cent across 121 seats.

Among the prominent candidates in the fray are JD(U) leaders Vijendra Yadav, Lesi Singh, Jayant Kushwaha, Sumit Singh, Mohammad Jama Khan, and Sheela Mandal, while BJP ministers contesting include Prem Kumar, Renu Devi, Vijay Kumar Mandal, Nitish Mishra, Neeraj Bablu, and Krishnanandan Paswan.

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Former Deputy Chief Ministers Renu Devi (Bettiah) and Tarkishore Prasad (Katihar), former Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary (Sikandra), and ex-ministers Vinay Bihari (Lauriya), Narayan Prasad (Nautan), Shamim Ahmed (Narkatia), Rana Randhir Singh (Madhuban), Pramod Kumar (Motihari), and Sunil Kumar Pintu (Sitamarhi) are also in the contest.

Key constituencies such as Sasaram, Imamganj, Bhagalpur, and Nathnagar are witnessing brisk polling after days of intense campaigning by top political leaders.

The election is taking place amid tight security, a day after the Delhi blast that killed eight people. Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar says the state is on high alert, with intensified border checks and additional forces deployed to ensure peaceful voting. He is urging voters to cast their ballots fearlessly.

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Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is appealing to the people of Bihar to come out and vote in large numbers. In a post on X, he is urging citizens to prioritise voting above their daily chores and exercise their democratic rights.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is also calling on voters to participate enthusiastically in what he describes as “the grand festival of democracy.” Congratulating first-time voters, he says, “Each of your votes is invaluable and will strengthen the state.”

In the 2020 Assembly polls, Bihar recorded a voter turnout of 57.29 per cent, while the 2024 Lok Sabha elections saw 56.28 per cent, according to the Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar.

The counting of votes for both phases is scheduled for November 14.