Photo Credit: The Suncity News.
Patna, May 7, 2024: Polling for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections began in Bihar on Tuesday, with 54 candidates contesting across five constituencies—Supaul, Araria, Jhanjharpur, Madhepura and Khagaria.
Over 98 lakh eligible voters in the third phase:
A total of 98,60,397 voters are eligible to decide the fate of the candidates in the third phase.
Voting began at 7 a.m., and long queues were seen outside several polling stations as enthusiastic voters turned out early to cast their votes.
The main contest in all five constituencies in the third phase is between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Grand Alliance (Mhagathbandhan).
NDA has fielded four sitting MPs in the third phase:
While the NDA has fielded four sitting MPs, the Grand Alliance has chosen first-time candidates in all five seats.
In Supaul, sitting JDU MP Dileshwar Kamat is contesting again as the NDA candidate against Chandrahas Chaupal of the RJD, who is a first-time Lok Sabha contestant and a current MLA.
Supaul has 19,27,207 voters—9,96,756 males, 9,30,410 females and 41 third gender voters.
In Araria, BJP’s sitting MP Pradeep Singh is seeking re-election from Araria, facing Shahnawaz Alam of the RJD, an MLA from Jokihat constituency, contesting his first Lok Sabha poll.
Araria has 20,18,767 voters, including 10,49,982 males, 9,68,691 females, and 94 third-gender voters.
In Jhanjharpur, JDU’s Rampreet Mandal, the sitting MP, represents the NDA in Jhanjharpur, contesting against Suman Mahaseth of the VIP (Grand Alliance).
Mahaseth, an ex-MLC, is also a first-time Lok Sabha contestant.
Jhanjharpur has 20,03,040 voters, including 10,45,444 males, 9,57,507 females and 89 third-gender voters.
In Madhepura, sitting JDU MP Dinesh Chandra Yadav, who defeated veteran leader Sharad Yadav in 2019, is seeking another term.
He faces Kumar Chandradeep Yadav of the RJD, contesting his first Lok Sabha election.
Madhepura has 20,71,166 voters, including 10,74,259 males, 9,96,857 females and 50 third-gender voters.
In Khagaria, it is the only seat where both alliances have fielded first-time candidates.
The NDA’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has nominated Rajesh Verma, former district president of the party in Bhagalpur.
The Grand Alliance has fielded Sanjay Kumar of CPI(M).
Khagaria has 18,40,217 voters, comprising 9,63,032 males, 8,77,137 females and 48 third-gender voters.
Polling so far has remained peaceful, with voters turning out in large numbers across the five constituencies.
EOM.