The stage is set for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Bihar with four parliamentary constituencies—Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, and Nawada—scheduled to vote tomorrow, April 19.
These seats are among the 102 across 21 states and Union territories participating in this initial round. Polling in Bihar will continue through all seven phases of the national elections, concluding on June 1, with results announced on June 4.
This election sees the Mahagathbandhan, a coalition comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and Left parties, contesting with the RJD fielding candidates in 26 of Bihar’s 40 Lok Sabha seats.
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) maintains a seat-sharing arrangement, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contesting 17 seats and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) 16.
The BJP has been actively campaigning in these areas, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi rallying in Jamui, Nawada, and Gaya between April 4 and 16 to support NDA candidates.
In the 2019 elections, the NDA, which included the BJP, JD(U), and then united Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), secured a dominating win by claiming 39 out of the 40 available seats.
In Aurangabad, the BJP has nominated three-time MP Sushil Kumar Singh, facing the RJD's Abhay Kumar Kushwaha and the Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) Sunesh Kumar.
In Gaya, a reserved constituency with a significant Scheduled Caste population, the NDA has allocated the seat to its ally Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S), nominating Jitan Ram Manjhi, a former Bihar chief minister.
He is challenged by RJD’s Kumar Sarvjeet. Gaya holds religious significance as the location of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment.
Jamui, another reserved seat, sees the RJD's Archana Ravidass contesting against LJP’s Arun Bharti. In the 2019 elections, LJP chief Chirag Paswan secured this seat with a significant majority.
In Nawada, the RJD has nominated Shrawan Kumar Kushwaha, who competes against the BJP's new candidate, Vivek Thakur. The constituency has traditionally been a stronghold for the BJP, highlighted by the victory of Chandan Singh from LJP in 2019.
These elections in Bihar are critical, reflecting the broader political battles on the national stage, with issues such as development, social justice, and governance at the forefront of party agendas.
As voters in these four constituencies prepare to cast their ballots, the outcomes will begin to shape the political landscape for the next five years.
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