Bihar Election Phase 1 Voting LIVE: Bihar Records 64.66% Turnout In Phase 1

Bihar recorded the highest-ever voter turnout of nearly 65 per cent, provisionally, at the close of polling in 121 seats in the first phase of assembly elections on Thursday, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinod Singh Gunjiyal said.

Addressing a press conference, Gunjiyal said the poll percentage will increase further, as data from 41,943 booths of the total 45,341 have been compiled so far.

“At the close of polling at 6 pm, around 64.46 per cent voter turnout was recorded. But this figure is provisional,” he said.

“The polling percentage will increase as people who arrived at the booths before the close of polling are still voting,” he said.

The Election Commission, in a statement issued in New Delhi, said the turnout was slightly higher at 64.66 per cent.

Far from the election campaigns and high-decibel claims of political parties, the first phase of Bihar polls on Thursday captured both the grit of voters and the gaps that successive governments have failed to plug.

In Darbhanga’s Kusheshwar Asthan constituency, voters braved flooded roads and difficult terrains to cast their votes, many with their children in tow.

“What is this? This is water! If someone breaks a leg or gets hurt, who will accept the responsibility?” an agitated voter told PTI Video.

“People fall, get injured, and yet nothing is done. There’s no arrangement for drainage. They come asking for votes first, but when will they be ready to fix the roads?,” he asked.

EVMs are being sealed by polling officials as the voting for the first phase of #BiharElections concludes

Although voting time is 7 AM to 6 PM but due to security considerations, polling time has been curtailed to 5 pm in Simri Bakhtiyarpur, Mahishi, Tarapur, Munger, Jamalpur, and in 56 polling booths of the Suryagarha Assembly segment

Exuding confidence that he will win the Mahua seat where polling was underway on Thursday, Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) founder Tej Pratap Yadav said his party would emerge as a “serious political force” after the Bihar elections.

Yadav’s party is fighting elections on 44 seats.

“I am confident the people of Mahua will bless me again. Why won’t they? I have worked for them, and they know it,” he told PTI-Video.

Asked about a section of BJP leaders praising him, Yadav said good work must be lauded and the tendency to indulge in “negative rhetoric” must be criticised.

Polling was underway at a moderate pace on Thursday across 121 assembly constituencies of Bihar, where 53.77 per cent of 3.75 crore voters had exercised their franchise till 3 pm to decide the fate of over 1,000 candidates, even as Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha alleged that his convoy was attacked by RJD supporters in his home turf Lakhisarai.

Stakes are high for both the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc in the first phase of the assembly elections, with several key leaders, including RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and several ministers, in the fray.

The ruling NDA, which has been in power in the state for 20 years, except for a few brief interruptions, is banking on its image of “sushasan” (good governance) in contrast to the alleged “jungle raj” that marked the 15 years old rule of the RJD-Congress combine.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday alleged that the NDA was “preparing to steal” the assembly polls in Bihar, “just like they did in Haryana”.

Addressing back-to-back public rallies in Sitamarhi and East Champaran districts, the Congress general secretary alleged that the Election Commission (EC) was “colluding with the government to weaken our Constitution and democratic rights”.

“Just like they stole the entire election in Haryana, they are preparing to do the same in Bihar by deleting 65 lakh votes from the rolls,” she said.

Educator Khan Sir cast his vote at booth number 241 in the Kumhrar constituency.

On being asked if he will emerge victorious in Mahua, Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) leader Tej Pratap Yadav said, “Why wouldn’t people bless us? We’ve worked here, so of course, they’ll bless us.” When asked about reports of his meeting with his mother and former CM Rabri Devi, the JJD leader said, “Who’s spreading these false rumours that I met her? Ever since I left home, I have neither met my mother nor my father (Lalu Prasad Yadav).”

Responding to a question on his party’s candidates and their prospects, Tej Pratap said, “Our party is already established, and once we win these elections, we’ll be firmly rooted. Look, we’re not the kind to do bad work. We’ll do good work, and people will appreciate it.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Bhagalpur, said that while the NDA government is busy promoting Bihar’s heritage to the world, Congress and RJD are insulting faith.

“There is another sector full of opportunities for the youth of Bihar, on which we are focusing heavily. This sector is tourism, pilgrimage, and heritage tourism… Our boatmen and our youth should get more earning opportunities from the Ganges. This will only be possible through increased tourism and transportation. The river waterway built on the Ganges will greatly benefit Bhagalpur. On one hand, the NDA government is busy promoting Bihar’s heritage to the world, while on the other hand, the Congress and RJD are insulting our faith,” he said.

Speaking to media, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister said,”I am here at the village. The crowd is coming closer. Send Special Force here. I will sit here in protest. The SP is so weak and a coward. They are not letting the Deputy CM go in. They have hurled stones and cow dung.”

“These are RJD goons. Look at their hooliganism even when they have not come to power…They threatened my polling agent and turned him away at 6.30 am itself. They are not letting voters come out,” he added.

RJD supporters surrounded Deputy CM and BJP candidate from the Lakhisarai constituency, Vijay Kumar Sinha’s car, hurled slippers, and chanted “Murdabad,” forbidding him from going ahead. Police personnel present at the spot.

Locals of the Danapur Diara used boats to reach the polling stations and cast their votes for the first phase of the Bihar elections. Watch here:

Begusarai – 46.02%

Bhojpur – 41.15%

Buxar – 41.10%

Darbhanga – 39.35%

Gopalganj – 46.73%

Khagaria – 42.94%

Lakhisarai – 46.37%

Madhepura – 44.16%

Munger – 41.47%

Muzaffarpur – 45.41%

Nalanda – 41.87%

Patna – 37.72%

Saharsa – 44.20%

Samastipur – 43.03%

Saran – 43.06%

Sheikhpura – 41.23%

Siwan – 41.20%

Vaishali – 42.60%

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressed a rally in Bihar’s Sitamarhi on Thursday and said, “Today I have come among you to ask who are those people who created an identity crisis for the youth of Bihar? Who are those people who tarnished Bihar’s identity?”

“Let Bihar have the youth who have their own intelligence and their own talent. Wherever Bihar’s youth went in the world, they benefited society with their intelligence, intellect, talent, and identity. But the RJD and Congress, who created an identity crisis for Bihar, are again trying to create a deception. We are sure that Congress and RJD will not get a chance anymore,” he added.

Bihar Assembly speaker Nand Kishore Yadav cast his vote at a polling booth in the Patna Sahib Assembly Constituency.

PM Modi said in Araria,”A few days ago, I exposed the truth behind the ongoing feud between Congress and RJD. After this truth came out, the feud between them has intensified even more. Just now, we saw that Congress has now fielded the candidate for the Deputy CM position against RJD on the front lines. He is giving interviews to the media, and in them, he is exposing the truth about RJD’s jungle raj. He is saying that in the jungle raj, Dalits, Mahadalits, and Extremely Backward Classes faced the most oppression. This is just the beginning; wait for the election results to come, these Congress and RJD people are going to tear each other’s hair out.”

JDU leader Ashok Chaudhary said, “I appeal to the people to remember that this is the same Bihar that ruled from Afghanistan to Bangladesh. Bihar made India a golden sparrow during the Maurya period… We have a rich history and culture. To regain that, we have to vote for development by rising above caste politics…”

On Lalu Yadav’s tweet, he said, “Jo Roti jal jati hai, usko phenk diya jata hai…”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a sharp dig at Congress and RJD in Araria and said,”A very major challenge stands before these efforts of ours. That challenge is of the infiltrators. The NDA government is engaged with complete honesty in identifying each and every infiltrator and deporting them from the country.”

He added,” But these RJD and Congress people are busy protecting the infiltrators. They spread all sorts of lies to save these infiltrators, and take out political tours to mislead the people.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an election rally in Araria, assuring the youth that their aspirations are his government’s commitment.

“Your dreams are my pledge,” the Prime Minister said, urging young voters.

Addressing the rally in Bihar, PM Modi said,”Today, I am telling you about the power of your vote. Your grandparents, maternal grandparents’ one vote had made Bihar the land of social justice. But then, the 90s decade came, and RJD’s jungle raj attacked Bihar. Jungle Raj means – pistol, cruelty, corruption and misgovernance. These became the identity of jungle raj, and this became Bihar’s misfortune. Your parents’ dreams were crushed.”