Bihar will vote today in the second phase for 122 of its 243 assembly seats. Of these, the BJP had secured a win on 42 seats in 2020, while the RJD bagged 33 seats, the Janata Dal (United) 20 seats, the Congress 11 and the Left parties collectively secured five.
The seats going to polls include 11 in East Champaran, 10 each in Madhubani and Gaya, nine in West Champaran, eight in Sitamarhi, and seven each in Bhagalpur, Rohtas, Purnia, and Katihar. Six assembly seats will go to the polls in Araria and Aurangabad each.
The phase will be crucial for the ruling NDA, with 12 ministers from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's cabinet seeking re-election.
Key Constituencies
1. Madhuban (Champaran)
One of the key battleground constituencies will be Madhuban assembly constituency in the Champaran district. The BJP has fielded sitting MLA Rana Randhir for re-election. His challenger is Rashtriya Janata Dal's Sandhya Rani. The entry of Jan Suraaj has added a third corner in the high-stakes battle. The new entrant is Vijay Kumar Kushwaha.
Dominated by the Vaishya (trader) community, Madhuban has traditionally been a stronghold of Rana Randhir's family. His father Sitaram Singh held the seat from 1985 to 2005.
2. Kahalgaon (Bhagalpur)
Among the constituencies that are most-watched is the Kahalgaon Assembly seat in Bhagalpur district, which is set to witness a four-cornered fight.
Mahagathbandhan allies RJD and the Congress are pitted against each other in a friendly contest here. Also in fray is the ruling Janata Dal United. But the BJP's sitting legislator Pawan Kumar Yadav has turned rebel and is contesting as Independent.
3. Bettiah (West Champaran)
The BJP has fielded former Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi, who has won the seat five times. Challenging her is Congress's Wasi Ahmed and Independent candidate Rohit Sikaria, a local OBC leader who is expected to cut into the Opposition votes.
4. Katihar (Katihar district)
This is a prestige battle for former Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad. The BJP leader, who has been holding the seat since 2005, has been challenged by Saurabh Agarwal, son of his aide Ashok Agarwal. Saurabh Agarwal has been fielded by the Vikassheel Insaan Party.
Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj has fielded Ghazi Sharique, who is seen as likely to split the Muslim vote -- a factor that could play into the hands of the NDA.
5. Kargahar (Rohtas)
This is the constituency Jan Suraaj Party's Prashant Kishor was expected to contest from, but Bhojpuri singer and actor Ritesh Pandey got fielded instead.
Pandey -- who has become a household name -- will be up against the sitting MLA, Congress's Santosh Kumar Mishra. The constituency has always veered between the Congress and Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United. The JD(U) has fielded Bashisth Singh.
