Photo Credit: The Suncity News
Patna, April 18, 2024: As campaigning for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Bihar came to an end on Wednesday evening, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav emerged as the most active campaigner, having addressed 47 rallies across the state.
Tejashwi Yadav is leading the campaign responsibility of the INDIA bloc:
He outpaced leaders from both the NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc in terms of sheer outreach.
Polling for the first phase will be held on April 19 in Gaya, Nawada, Aurangabad and Jamui, with campaigning officially concluding at 5 pm on April 17.
In comparison, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed just three rallies in Bihar—in Aurangabad (April 4), Nawada (April 7), and Gaya (April 16). Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a rally in Aurangabad on April 10, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke at a rally in Jamui. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath campaigned in Aurangabad and Nawada, and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar addressed four rallies during this phase.
Among NDA’s state leadership, BJP state president and Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary held six rallies, while Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha was visible in around 10 roadshows.
On the other hand, LJPR chief Chirag Paswan confined much of his campaigning to Jamui, backing his brother-in-law and party candidate Arun Bharti, while HAMS leader Jitan Ram Manjhi focused largely on his home turf in Gaya.
Congress’s central leaders stayed away from the campaign:
Interestingly, top Congress leaders—including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi—stayed away from Bihar during the first phase. Instead, the state Congress leaders concentrated on road shows and door-to-door campaigns.
With Tejashwi Yadav’s extensive campaigning and the NDA’s heavyweights balancing time between multiple states, all eyes are now on whether this high-voltage campaign will translate into votes in the first phase.
EOM.