With voter turnout hitting over 60 per cent in the first phase of the Bihar assembly election, both the ruling National Democratic Alliance and the Opposition Mahagathbandhan are hoping that the record turnout will work in their favour.
Till 5pm, 60.18 per cent of voters exercised their franchise across 121 constituencies in the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections. Bihar Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal said voting percentage of 64.46 per cent was recorded around 8pm and the final figures would be known within an hour. At 5pm, the highest polling percentage was recorded at Begusarai district, at 67.32 pc, followed by Samastipur 66.65 pc and Madhepura 65.74 pc. A low turnout of 55.02 per cent was recorded in state's capital Patna.
Stakes are high for both NDA and the Mahagathbandhan as key leaders from both fronts are contesting in the first phase of elections. Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and several ministers are in the fray in the first phase.
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.
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While the new entrant in the fray, Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor, said the high voter turnout was an indication of change, RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav shared a cryptic social media post on the high voter turnout. Drawing the analogy of a roti, Lalu tweeted, "If a roti is not flipped on a tawa (pan), it gets burnt. Twenty years is a long time. A Tejashwi government is essential to build a new Bihar."
Deputy Chief Minister Sinha, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term from Lakhisarai, alleged one of the cars in his convoy was attacked by RJD supporters, in an alleged attempt to intimidate voters belonging to extremely backward classes.
