Bihar polls: Mokama RJD candidate Veena Devi offers prayers at temple, urges people to vote without "fear"

Patna (Bihar) [India], November 6 (ANI): As Bihar votes for the first phase of assembly elections, Mokama braces for a tough battle, as the constituency has been in headlines in recent days for its political rivalry following the murder of Jan Suraaj supporter Dularchand Yadav.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate from Mokama, Veena Devi and her husband and former MP Surajbhan Singh offered prayers at a temple on the polling day in Mokama.

Veena Devi urged the people of the constituency to participate in voting without any "fear or hesitation."
"We had the darshan of the Almighty. All of us should step out of our house and vote without fear or hesitation," Veena Devi told ANI.
Mokama is witnessing a high-voltage electoral contest in the 2025 polls, as Janata Dal (United) has fielded strongman Anant Singh, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal has nominated Veena Devi, wife of former MP and influential leader Surajbhan Singh. Jan Suraaj has fielded Priyadarshi Piyush from the seat.
Both candidates come from the Bhumihaar community, setting the stage for a direct clash of political legacies in one of Bihar's most volatile yet politically significant constituencies.
Often addressed as 'Chhote Sarkar' by his supporters, Anant Singh has dominated Mokama's political landscape since 2005, regardless of his political affiliations. Despite shifting party affiliations, from JD(U) to Independent to RJD, he maintained a firm grip on the seat until his 2022 conviction under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which led to his disqualification from the Assembly.
Following his conviction, RJD fielded his wife, Neelam Devi, in the ensuing bypoll, where she successfully retained the seat. With his later acquittal by the Patna High Court, Anant Singh is now back in the fray.
However, the killing of Dularchand Yadav on October 30 and the subsequent arrest of Anant Singh are expected to alter the poll battle in Mokama. Dularchand Yadav was shot dead following a clash between two groups during election campaigning in Bihar's Mokama.
Voting for the first phase of the 2025 assembly elections in Bihar began today at 7.00 am across 121 constituencies in 18 districts of the state's 243 seats, with approximately 3.75 crore electors casting their ballot.
Polling will conclude at 6 pm, and due to security considerations, polling time has been curtailed to 5 pm in some constituencies.
The first phase will decide the fate of several senior leaders, including RJD's Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Mangal Pandey and JD(U)'s Shravan Kumar and Vijay Kumar Choudhary. Tej Pratap Yadav is also in the fray in the first phase.
According to the Election Commission, there are 10.72 lakh 'new electors' and 7.78 lakh voters are in the age group of 18-19 years. The total population of these constituencies, as stated by the Election Commission, is 6.60 crore.
There is a total of 122 women candidates in the fray in the first phase of polls.
Jan Suraj Party fielded 119 candidates in this phase. Within NDA, JD(U) is contesting 57 seats, followed by BJP on 48 and LJP (Ram Vilas) on 14.
Among the Mahagathbandhan constituents, RJD is contesting 73 seats in the first phase, followed by 24 from Congress and 14 from CPI(ML). There will be a friendly fight for a few seats among Mahagathbandhan constituents.
In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, polling took place in three phases. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured 125 seats, while the opposition Mahagathbandhan (MGB) won 110. Among the major parties, the Janata Dal (United) bagged 43 seats and the Congress 19. The JD(U) had contested 115 constituencies and the BJP 110, whereas the RJD contested 144 seats and the Congress 70. (ANI)