Bihar polls: Can BJP retain its stronghold Begusarai amid a triangular contest?

New Delhi [India], October 30 (ANI): With the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections just a week away, the Begusarai assembly constituency, one of the closely watched constituencies, is gearing up for a keenly contested fight between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan, while the entry of Jan Suraaj adds a fresh dimension to the high-stakes Bihar battle.
Traditionally considered a BJP stronghold, dominated by upper-caste 'Bhumihaar' voters, Begusarai (Constituency 146) will witness the party's sitting MLA and a Bhumihaar leader, Kundan Kumar, seeking re-election.
The Congress has once again fielded its former MLA Amita Bhushan, also a Bhumihaar face, while Jan Suraaj has entered the fray with Surendra Kumar Sahani as its candidate, adding a new dynamic to the battle.
Constituency 146, Begusarai, in Begusarai district, will be going to the polls on the first phase of the elections on November 6, along with 120 other constituencies.
BJP's Kundan Kumar, who won narrowly in 2020, faces a tough challenge from Congress's Amita Bhushan, as the BJP legislator had scraped through in 2020, defeating Congress's Amita Bhushan by a narrow margin of just 4,554 votes.
Kumar polled 74,217 votes against Bhushan's 69,663, in what became one of the tightest contests of the election. The voter turnout in the constituency stood at 55.62 per cent.
According to Election Commission data, the constituency had 3,36,087 registered voters in 2020, though only 1,85,311 turned up to cast their votes.
In the 2015 Assembly elections, Congress's Amita Bhushan had won the elections and polled 83,521 votes, defeating BJP's Surendra Mehta, who secured 66,990 votes, with a voter turnout of 54.51 per cent.
The BJP has held the seat continuously since 2000, except in the 2015 Assembly elections, when Congress leader Amita Bhushan secured a victory.
This time, with Jan Suraaj making its debut and both NDA and Mahagathbandhan deploying their full machinery, the Begusarai seat is poised for an intense contest that could set the tone for the rest of the election.
The constituents of Begusarai are looking towards a party that can get them better employment opportunities in the region.
The area's demographics are crucial to understanding the factors that will influence election results, including caste. It is worth noting that the contest in Begusarai since 1962 has been between various political parties, but mainly between Bhumihaar candidates.
It may be noted that the Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency has continuously been held by the BJP since 2014, with sitting MP Giriraj Singh serving as the Union Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet.
Polling for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly is scheduled to be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with counting set for November 14. (ANI)