Bihar is set to become the first state in the country where elections will happen amid the coronavirus pandemic. It is a three-phased election, which will begin on October 28 and will end on November 7. The result of the Bihar election will be declared on November 10.
The phase-1 election will be held on October 28 for 71 seats. In phase-2, the polling will happen in 94 constituencies on November 3, and in phase-3, a total of 78 constituencies will go to polls on November 7.
Yesterday, the campaigning for the phase-1 election in Bihar came to end. In phase-1 of Bihar election, 71 constituencies are going to vote in six districts, including Naxal-hit Gaya, Rohtas, and Aurangabad.
In phase-1, Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is contesting on 42 of the 71 seats, Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) is contesting on 41 seats, BJP on 29 seats, Congress on 21 seats and Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) on 41 seats.
In 2015, RJD and JDU fought the election together as part of the Mahagathbandhan and won 178 constituencies out of the total 243. However, differences emerged between the RJD and the JD(U) and the latter came back to the NDA fold in 2017.
Bihar election polling date
The Bihar election 2020 will be held in three phases. The first phase of election will be conducted on October 28. The second and third phase polling will be held on November 3 and November 7. The three-phased polling will be for 243 seats.
List of constituencies going to polls in Phase-I:
There are total 71 assembly constituencies in Bihar that will go to polls in Phase-1. As per the Election Commission, in the first phase of elections, the fate of 1,066 candidates will be decided by 2,14,6,960 voters.
Kahalgaon, Sultanganj, Amarpur, Dhoraiya (SC), Banka, Katoria (ST), Belhar, Tarapur, Munger, Jamalpur, Suryagarha, Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, Barbigha, Mokama, Barh, Masaurhi (SC), Paliganj, Bikram, Sandeh, Barhara, Arrah, Agiaon (SC), Tarari, Jagdishpur, Shahpur, Brahampur, Buxar, Dumraon, Rajpur (SC), Ramgarh, Mohania (SC), Bhabua, Chainpur, Chenari (SC), Sasaram, Kargahar, Dinara, Nokha, Dehri, Karakat, Arwal, Kurtha, Jehanabad, Ghosi, Makhdumpur (SC), Goh, Obra, Nabinagar, Kutumba (SC), Aurangabad, Rafiganj, Gurua, Sherghati, Imamganj (SC), Barachatti (SC), Bodh Gaya (SC), Gaya Town, Tikari, Belaganj, Atri, Wazirganj, Rajauli (SC), Hisua, Nawada, Gobindpur, Warsaliganj, Sikandra (SC), Jamui, Jhajha, Chakai
List of constituencies going to polls in Phase-II:
A total of 94 constituencies will go to polls in Phase-2 of Bihar election 2020.
Nautan, Chanpatia, Bettiah, Harsidhi (SC), Govindganj, Kesaria, Kalyanpur, Pipra, Madhuban, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Runnisaidpur, Belsand, Madhubani, Rajnagar (SC), Jhanjharpur, Phulparas, Kusheshwar Asthan (SC), Gaura Bauram, Benipur, Alinagar, Darbhanga Rural, Minapur, Kanti, Baruraj, Paroo, Sahebganj, Baikunthpur, Barauli, Gopalganj, Kuchaikote, Bhore (SC), Hathua, Siwan, Ziradei, Darauli (SC), Raghunathpur, Daraunda, Barharia, Goriakothi, Maharajganj, Ekma, Manjhi, Baniapur, Taraiya, Marhaura, Chapra, Garkha (SC), Amnour, Parsa, Sonepur, Hajipur, Lalganj, Vaishali, Raja Pakar (SC), Raghopur, Mahnar, Ujiarpur, Mohiuddinnagar, Bibhutipur, Rosera (SC), Hasanpur, Cheria-Bariarpur, Bachhwara, Teghra, Matihani, Sahebpur Kamal, Begusarai, Bakhri (SC), Alauli (SC), Khagaria, Beldaur, Parbatta, Bihpur, Gopalpur, Pirpainti (SC), Bhagalpur, Nathnagar, Asthawan, Biharsharif, Rajgir (SC), Islampur, Hilsa, Nalanda, Harnaut, Bakhtiarpur, Digha, Bankipur, Kumhrar, Patna Sahib, Fatuha, Danapur, Maner, Phulwari (SC)
List of constituencies going to polls in Phase-III:
A total of 78 constituencies will go to polls in Phase-2 of Bihar elelction 2020.
Valmiki Nagar, Ramnagar (SC), Narkatiaganj, Bagaha, Lauriya, Sikta, Raxaul, Sugauli, Narkatia, Motihari, Chiraia, Dhaka, Riga, Bathnaha (SC), Parihar, Sursand, Bajpatti, Harlakhi, Benipatti, Khajauli, Babubarhi, Bisfi, Laukaha, Nirmali, Pipra, Supaul, Triveniganj (SC), Chhatapur, Narpatganj, Raniganj (SC), Forbesganj, Araria, Jokihat, Sikti, Bahadurganj, Thakurganj, Kishanganj, Kochadhaman, Amour, Baisi, Kasba, Banmankhi (SC), Rupauli, Dhamdaha, Purnia, Katihar, Kadwa, Balrampur, Pranpur, Manihari (ST), Barari, Korha (SC), Alamnagar, Bihariganj, Singheshwar (SC), Madhepura, Sonbarsha (SC), Saharsa, Simri Bakhtiarpur, Mahishi, Darbhanga, Hayaghat, Bahadurpur, Keoti, Jale, Gaighat, Aurai, Bochahan (SC), Sakra (SC), Kurhani, Muzaffarpur, Mahua, Patepur (SC), Kalyanpur (SC), Warisnagar, Samastipur, Morwa, Sarairanjan
Bihar election result date
The results of Bihar election 2020 will be announced on November 10.
What are the key political parties contesting in Bihar election
On one side is the Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United, the Bharatiya Janata Party, Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha and Vikassheel Insaan Party. On the other side is Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) which mainly comprises Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress. Other allies include the CPI-ML, CPI and the CPIM.
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), formed by late former union minister Ram Vilas Paswan will be fighting solo. However, Paswan's son and LJP leader Chirag Paswan has said that the LJP will form a government with BJP in the state.
Another alliance that is fray in the Bihar election is--Grand Democratic Secular Front. This include--Asauddin Owaisi's AIMIM, Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party, former RJD MP Devendra Prasad Yadav's Samajwadi Janata Dal (Democratic), former UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar's Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party and the Janvadi Party Socialist.
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is another alliance that will be fighting against the ruling NDA alliance in the upcoming Bihar election. UDA consists of a front of 15 parties collectively led by former BJP cabinet minister Yashwant Sinha.
Chandrashekhar Azad's Azad Samaj Party have also formed an alliance with Madhepura MP Pappu Yadav's Jan Adhikar Party. They are being supported by the Social Democratic Party of India and the Bahujan Mukti Party.
Bihar election important faces:
1. Nitish Kumar (JDU)
2. Chirag Paswan (LJP)
3. Tejashwi Yadav (RJD)
4. Tej Pratap Yadav (RJD)
5. Upendra Kushwaha (RLSP)
6. Pappu Yadav (JAP)
7. Sushil Kumar Modi (BJP)
8. Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM)