Patna, Oct 16: The battle for Bihar entered its second phase on Friday with around 86 lakh voters set to decide the fate of 456 candidates in 32 constituencies spread across six Maoist-hit districts.
Voting started at 7am in all the constituencies. Additional chief electoral officer R Lakshamanan said it would end at 3pm in 11 constituencies and at 4pm in 12 others. On nine seats, the scheduled voting is from 7am to 5pm.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter, asking people to exercise their voting rights.
An estimated 57% of the electorate cast their votes in the first phase held on October 12. In Bihar, the BJP-led NDA?is up against a so-called grand alliance of the Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress.
If the first phase of campagning saw the grand alliance and the NDA fight over the reservation and beef issues besides resorting to mudslinging, the second was no better.
The NDA sharpened its attack over a sting operation of a JD-U minister while the grand alliance attacked PM?Modi for his prolonged silence on the Dadri lynching case.
A sting video surfaced last week showing senior Bihar minister Awadhesh Prasad Kushwaha purportedly accepting bribe, forcing him to resign a day ahead of the first phase of polling in the state.
The video provided the NDA fresh ammunition to attack the alliance on corruption during the electioneering for the second of the five-phase polls. The matter was also raised by PM?Modi at his rallies in Jehanabad and Bhabua.
Security Challenge
The second phase voting constitutes a great challenge for the security personnel as the six districts are heavily affected by Maoist movement.
In view of the security concerns, a total of 993 companies of Central Para Military forces and state police are deployed to ensure peaceful voting. As many as 334 companies would be in service in Gaya, 201 in Rohtas and 193 in Aurangabad.
While contests on all the seats is intense, the battle at Imamganj (reserved SC seat) would be closely watched where former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) is locked in a straight contest with the Speaker of the outgoing assembly, Uday Narain Chaudhary of JD-U. Chaudhary is a five-term MLA from the seat.
Manjhi is also contesting from Makhdumpur seat in Jehanabad.
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