Stage set for 1st phase of polling for 49 Bihar seats tomorrow

About other districts, he said Samastipur recorded 60 per cent voting, Begusarai 59 per cent, Bhagalpur 56 per cent, Banka 58 per cent, Munger 55 per cent, Lakhisarai 54 per cent, Sheikhpura 55 per cent, and Jamui 57 per cent, all registering more votes than the last Assembly polls.

Around 12 to 15 percent polling was recorded till 10 a.m.in the 49 assembly seats spread across 10 districts, officials said.

“There are reports of a few violence in Banka, Jamui and Bhagalpur districts”.

Meanwhile, leaving no stone unturned Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally in Bhabua on Monday.

Altogether 110 people were arrested from different districts while 20 motorcyles, a Bolero SUV, a Tata Magic van, and an autorickshaw were seized. The two major sides which are involved in the tussle are the grand alliance of JD(U), RJD and Congress, and National Democratic Alliance led by BJP.

The first phase is essential for the JD (D), as out of the forty nine seats, it had gained 29 within the 2010 elections, whereas its alliance associate BJP had gained 13, and the RJD 4.

Tens of thousands voted or stood in serpentine queues at polling booths on Monday in the first round of assembly election in Bihar – the country’s biggest popularity test since the BJP was routed in Delhi in February. The turnout at polling booths picked up gradually; it was a tiresome start otherwise. Also, a police constable Ram Pravesh Singh who was deployed at booth no. 44 in Sahebpur Kamal constituency died of heart attack while he was on duty.

The election commission scheduled a five-phase elections in Bihar starting from today to November 5, 2015, and the counting of the votes will be taking place on November 8, 2015. To add to the woes of the BJP, Bhagwat also raised question mark on the Rs 1.25 lakh crore financial package announced by Modi for Bihar, saying that such initiatives would lead to unhealthy competition among states.

The youth everywhere said, “We have voted for change and development”.

The second round of polling for the 243-seat assembly will be held on October 16.

Officials said that voters in over a dozen villages in Samastipur, Bhagalpur, Jamui and Banka boycotted the polls and shouted slogans against the lack of development. It fought the seats to retain what was its bastion, till last election contested in alliance with BJP.

Giving details of voting in the districts, Nayak said Khagaria, which has seven Assembly constituencies, recorded the highest 61 per cent voting.