Updated: October 27, 2020 9:49:25 pm
Seat positions are likely to change in this election beginning in 2015, as the JD (U) is now part of the NDA.
In the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, in which 71 seats will witness the voting on Wednesday, the NDA and the Grand Alliance look fair. While the BJP expects to make a profit, its alliance partner JD (U) may suffer some losses, with the LJP directly competing against it for at least 10 seats. LJP’s strengths include Dinara, Suryagarha, and Amarpur.
In all 71 seats, while the RJD has nominated their sitting legislators in 25 seats, the JD (U) and the BJP have presented their MLAs in 23 and 13 seats respectively. Eight sitting legislators in Congress and one each from Hindustani Awam Morcha (S) and CPI (ML) are also in the fray. However, seat positions are likely to change in this election starting in 2015, as the JD (U) is now part of the NDA. In 2015, the JD (U) contested state polls as part of the Mahagathbandhan.
In the first phase, while RJD is competing for 42 seats, its alliance partners, Congress and the CPI (ML), are competing for 21 and eight seats respectively. The JD (U) and BJP are disputing 35 and 29 seats respectively and their alliance partners HAM (S) and VIP are disputing six seats and one seat respectively.
It is Imamganj’s seat in Gaya that will witness a high-stakes battle, with former CM and HAM (S) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi engaged in a tough contest with the former Assembly Speaker and RJD candidate, Uday Narayan Choudhary.
Dinara is another interesting seat, where BJP rebel and LJP candidate Rajendra Singh takes on current JD (U) MLA Jay Kumar Singh and RJD’s Vijay Mandal. In Jamui, the daughter of former Union Minister Digvijay Singh and BJP candidate Shreyasi, who won shooting gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, will face RJD Acting Legislator Vijay Prakash. While four-time MLA and RJD candidate Anant Kumar Singh enjoys a clear advantage in Mokama over rivals, Paliganj is likely to witness intense competition between MLA candidate and JD (U) Jayvardhan Yadav and CPI’s Sandeep Saurav ( ML).
While the Grand Alliance nominees enjoy a clear advantage in Rohtas and Kaimur, the contest in Arrah, Shekhpura, Munger, Gaya and Bhagalpur will be watched closely. The LJP’s decision to go alone has kept the NDA on edge. The first phase will also show whether RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s promise to create jobs would translate into additional votes.
© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
.
