Campaigning for the second phase of Bihar assembly elections ended on Sunday evening, setting the stage for polling on Tuesday in 94 constituencies spread across 17 districts. The 94 constituencies which are going to poll on
November 3 are in 17 districts: West Champaran, East Champaran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Samastipur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Nalanda and Patna. Meanwhile, the canvassing for the third and final phase of Bihar polls 2020 will continue with key leaders such as Nitish Kumar, JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Tejashvi Yadav, Chirag Paswan hitting the campaign trail.
Here are the highlights from the 2020 Bihar elections for November 2:
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said in West Champaran on November 2 that the Congress and RJD, "only know how to cheat people. They've been dividing the society on the basis of caste, region and religion. Don't expect them ever to unite people", ANI reported. "Those who looted jobs of youth for the benefit of their family, how're they even promising jobs now, he questioned. The UP CM also asked, "From where they'll bring jobs? When they were in power, let alone provide food for the poor, they even digested fodder of animals, who can't say a word."
Bhagalpur has been known for long as a BJP stronghold, which even RJD supremo Lalu Prasad could not decimate during the peak of his political powers in the 90s, but as the silk city of Bihar goes to polls on Tuesday it has come to symbolise the risk the ruling NDA faces from its former constituent Lok Janshakti Party in these assembly elections. This is among the few seats where the Chirag Paswan-headed party has fielded a candidate against the BJP while going out all guns blazing against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-headed JD(U) across the state. The LJP's clever ploy of backing influential local politicians, mostly upper castes, with its traditional support base of a section of Dalits to make a space for itself in the state's crowded political arena has upset the traditional calculations in this constituency, members of different political parties say. It has given ticket to former BJP politician Rajesh Verma, a young and resourceful leader coming from the Marwari community, and his potential draw among the trading castes, who are in large numbers here, is keeping the saffron alliance on edge.
Out of 1,195 candidates contesting in phase-3 of the Bihar assembly elections later this week, 31 per cent have declared criminal cases against themselves, according to a report by poll rights group Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). About 282 or 24 per cent have declared serious criminal cases against themselves. Serious criminal cases are non-bailable offences attracting over five years of imprisonment, the report said. As many as 361 or 30 per cent of these candidates have stated their financial assets to be worth crores of rupees, the report said. Out of 1,195 candidates analyzed, 371 or 31 per cent have declared criminal cases against themselves, it said. According to the report, 32 (73 per cent) out of 44 candidates analysed from the RJD have declared criminal cases against themselves and 22 (50 per cent) of them have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.
(Madhuban), and JD(U) leader and state minister Ramsevak Singh (Hathua). Also in the fray is Chandrika Roy (JDU), the father of Tej Pratap Yadavs estranged wife Aishwarya Rai, who in her campaign has been highlighting the alleged "ill-treatment" meted out to her by RJD chief Lalu Prasad's family.
party leaders such as BJP chief J P Nadda addressed campaign rallies.
—With inputs from agencies
(Edited by : Ajay Vaishnav)
First Published: Nov 2, 2020 11:01 AM IST
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