The campaign for the second and final phase of high-stakes Bihar elections concluded on Sunday evening, drawing to a close a nearly month-long battle of rhetoric and strategy among rival parties vying for power in the state.
While the first phase, which saw a record turnout of 65 per cent, took place on 6 November, the second phase of voting is scheduled for November 11, with the counting of votes set for November 14.
Elections in this phase cover 122 constituencies, following 121 assembly segments that went to the polls in the first round. Key seats in the second phase include Chakai, where JD(U) minister Sumit Kumar Singh is seeking re-election; Jamui, held by BJP MLA Shreyasi Singh; Dhamdaha, represented by JD(U) minister Leshi Singh; and Chhatapur, where BJP minister Neeraj Kumar Singh is contesting, reported the PTI.
The final day of campaigning saw appearances by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi addressed rallies in Kishanganj and Purnea in the Seemanchal region, which has a significant Muslim population crucial for the opposition INDIA bloc. Over the course of the campaign, he held 15 election meetings, building on a Voter Adhikar Yatra he led earlier, though his ‘vote chori’ allegations failed to gain substantial traction, according to the PTI.
Shah, who has been in Bihar continuously for days, led an intensive campaign, addressing rallies in Sasaram and Arwal, areas where the BJP traditionally performs weakly.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, a former BJP president, held rallies in Aurangabad and Kaimur, bordering his home state of Uttar Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also made a mark with 14 rallies and a roadshow, the news agency reported.
For the Congress, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra campaigned in Bihar for the first time, conducting 10 rallies and a roadshow, although one meeting had to be cancelled due to inclement weather. BJP president JP Nadda, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and regional leaders such as Yogi Adityanath, Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Mohan Yadav, alongside actor-politicians Ravi Kishan and Manoj Tiwari, also took part in the BJP’s star-studded campaign. Leaders from other states, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Andhra Pradesh minister Nara Lokesh, lent their support as well.
JD(U) supremo and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, seeking a fifth consecutive term, conducted a quieter but steady campaign, holding rallies and impromptu roadshows despite concerns about his health and speculation of friction with Prime Minister Modi, as per the PTI.
Tejashwi Yadav, the INDIA bloc’s CM candidate, led a vigorous campaign, while the Jan Suraaj Party, led by Prashant Kishor, opted for a more grassroots approach, focusing on door-to-door outreach in his home state rather than glitzy events.
(with PTI inputs)