Bihar to go for third and final phase of polls on Saturday

Over 2.35 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase including nearly 1.23 crore male and 1.12 crore female voters.

Patna (Bihar): Bihar will go for the third and final phase of polls on Saturday across 78 assembly constituencies spread over 16 districts with all players having made last-ditch efforts to woo voters.

Over 2.35 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase including nearly 1.23 crore male and 1.12 crore female voters.

Election Commission has made adequate arrangements for the election with precautionary measures against COVID-19.

Top campaigners of political parties in the fray including Prime Minister Narendra Modi held rallies ahead of the third phase of polling.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal has the maximum number of 46 candidates in the third phase followed by Lok Janshakti Party at 42.

The Janata Dal (United) has fielded 37 candidates, Bharatiya Janata Party 35, Nationalist Congress Party 31, Congress 25, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party 23 and Bahujan Samaj Party 19. The Communist Party of India (CPI) is contesting two seats.

A total of 1,204 candidates, including 382 independents, are in the fray for the last phase with 1,094 male and 110 female candidates.

Gaighata has a maximum 31 candidates, while Dhaka, Triveniganj, Jokihat and Bahadurganj have the least number of nine candidates each.

Valmiki Nagar is the largest assembly constituency area-wise, whereas Saharsa is the largest in terms of the size of the electorate. Hayaghat is the smallest assembly constituency.

The third phase of polling will decide the fate of leaders such as Abdul Bari Siddiqui contesting from Kewati, Sharad Yadav’s daughter Subhashini Yadav from Bihariganj, Lovely Anand contesting from Saharsa, Nikhil Mandal from Madhepura and Akhtarul Iman from Amour. Eight ministers of JD-U are also in the field in this phase.

Apart from NDA and RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, Grand Secular Democratic Front comprising, RLSP, AIMIM, BSP and some other parties is also seeking to make its mark.

Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) of former MP Rajiv Ranjan aka Pappu Yadav and other smaller parties are also fighting hard on their turfs.

In the Seemanchal region going to polls in the third phase, Mahagathbandhan has 14 MLAs, NDA nine and the AIMIM one.

Thirty-eight seats in Mithilanchal region will also go to the polls.

Several seats in the third phase election have a sizeable presence of minority voters.

The state witnessed 55.69 per cent polling in the first phase of elections on October 28 and 53.51 per cent in the second phase held on November 3.

The state assembly has 243 seats and results will be declared on November 10.

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