The delegation also demanded that the ECI appoint special observers for those assembly seats which are yet to go to polls and requested the ECI to ensure fair, fear-free and corruption-free elections in the state. As many as 49 constituencies from across 10 districts from the eastern and central part of the state will vote on Monday sealing the fate of 583 candidates including 54 women nominees.
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According to him, women were voting in large numbers. “Voters have sent out a clear message”, Pandey said. Divided along several factors such as caste, desire for development, and choice of leaders, many voters say they are yet to make up their minds giving sleepless night to the candidates.
Voting has stopped at 5 booths in Bhagalpur after reports of EVM machine not functioning properly. The BJP-led NDA alliance, also including three other parties including the LJP, is trying to dislodge the ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U), which has the RJD and the Congress as allies.
A few of the voters turned up at the polling booth early in the morning when polling began at 7 am. Choubey after casting his vote said that he was sure about the results and “Lotus” will bloom in Bihar after this.
He hit out at Nitish’s Grand alliance for focusing its campaign around Modi’s Vinash and not Bihar’s Vikas.
In 2010 when the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance swept the polls, only 50.85 per cent of the electorate pressed the button in these districts. “He has constructed roads, provided electricity, and set up schools and hospitals in rural areas”, he said. Bihar police chief P.K. Thakur told the media here that polling was peaceful, barring minor clashes.
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After high-level of campaigning and exchange of barbs, the voters were heading towards the polling booths for the Phase I elections in 49 Constituencies of Bihar. Counting of votes will be taken up on November 8. “But we see that in their campaign they do not address the voters or issues of constituencies going for poll on that particular day”, an EC official said.
