Fifth phase of Bihar Assembly polls begins amid tight security

PATNA - Polling for the fifth phase of Bihar Assembly elections began on Tuesday morning amidst unprecedented security measures.

Voting will take place for 35 Assembly constituencies in this phase.

Around 81.26 lakh voters will decide the fate of 490 candidates, including 44 women.

The polling which started at 7 a.m. will continue till 4 p.m. in the Maoist-hit constituencies of Rajauli, Gobindpur, Arwal, Kurtha, Jehanabad, Ghosi, Makhdumpur, Bodh Gaya, Phulwari, Masaurhi, Paliganj, Agiaon, Atri, Bikram, Barbigha and Belaganj.

Prominent candidates are state JD-U ministers Hari Narain Singh (Harnaut), Jitan Ram Manjhi (Makhdumpur), Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha (Jagdishpur) and BJP minister Prem Kumar (Gaya town).

JD-U Chief whip in the Assembly Shravan Kumar (Nalanda), party MLAs Asha Devi (Barhara), Sunil Kumar (Biharsharif), Shyam Rajak (Phulwari), Narendra Kumar Pandey (Tarari), senior BJP leaders Sayadeo Narain Arya (Rajgir), and Amrendra Pratap Singh (Ara) are also in the fray.

Besides, there are LJP’s Dularchand Yadav from Arwal, former RJD ministers Surendra Prasad Yadav (Belaganj), Raghvendra Pratap Singh (Barhara), Suresh Paswan (Agiwan) and Rajballabh Prasad (Nawada).

The Congress and the BSP are contesting on all seats. While Janta Dal (United) is contesting from 22 seats its ally BJP is contesting in remaining 13.

RJD has fielded 20 candidates and its ally LJP is contesting on 15 seats. CPI is contesting from 7 seats and CPM is contesting on 2 seats. CPI (ML) is contest in 23 seats.

The first four phases of Bihar polls passed off peacefully. The sixth phase of election is scheduled on November 20.

The State will elect a new 243-seat assembly in a staggered month-long polling in six phases in which over 55 million electorates are expected to cast their franchise.

Counting of votes will take place on November 24. (ANI)