Lok Sabha polls: Bihar's Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Nawada to vote in first phase tomorrow

Patna (Bihar) [India], April 18 (ANI): Voting for four parliamentary seats in Bihar- Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui and Nawada- is set to kick off on April 19, in the first phase of the seven phase Lok Sabha elections.
In the first phase, 98 other parliamentary constituencies distributed across 20 states and Union territories will go to the polls.
Bihar will see polling in all the seven phases. The second phase of polling in the state will be held on April 26, the third phase on May 7, the fourth phase on May 13, the fifth phase on May 20, the sixth phase on May 25, and the seventh phase on June 1. Counting of votes will be held on June 4.
Mahagathbandhan, the opposition coalition in Bihar, comprising the RJD, Congress, and Left parties, announced that the RJD, its largest constituent, will contest 26 out of the state's 40 Lok Sabha seats in the elections.
The NDA is also in a seat-sharing agreement in Bihar with the Janata Dal-United (JDU) and the LJP for the Lok Sabha polls.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is set to contest 17 seats and JD-U 16.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed rallies in Jamui, Nawada and Gaya between April 4 and 16 to campaign for NDA candidates.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA, comprising the BJP, JD (U), and LJP, dominated by winning 39 out of 40 seats.
In the last general elections, all four seats went to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) -- the BJP in Aurangabad, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) in Gaya, and the then united Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) from both Jamui and Nawada.
Three-time BJP MP from Aurangabad, Sushil Kumar Singh, is facing off against the opposition's Mahagathbandhan candidate, Abhay Kumar Kushwaha, who is contesting on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) ticket and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded Sunesh Kumar.
Kushwaha earlier served as a JD (U) MLA from the Tekari Assembly constituency in 2015 but has since joined the RJD and secured the party's nomination to run in the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Aurangabad witnessed a voter turnout of 53.67 per cent. Sushil Kumar Singh of the BJP emerged victorious by receiving 431,541 votes and 45.8 per cent.
Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) leader Upendra Prasad garnered 358,934 votes, with 38.1 per cent.
In Gaya Lok Sabha constituency, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) patron and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and former minister and RJD candidate Kumar Sarvjeet are in the electoral fray. The seat was earlier represented in parliament by Vijay Kumar alias Vijay Manjhi of JD(U).
In the 2024 election, the BJP has left the Gaya (reserved) seat for its ally, the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S).
In 2019, JD(U) candidate defeated Manjhi by a margin of more than 1.52 lakh votes. Manjhi's HAM was part of the grand alliance in the last election.
Gaya has its religious significance as it's on the banks of the river Falgu. Internationally acclaimed Mahabodhi Mahavihara (temple), where Gautam Buddha got his enlightenment, is located here. The seat has been represented by candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (Manjhi--Musahar) for the last 25 years or so. Political parties are focussing mainly on votes of EBCs, OBCs and Upper castes in this seat.
Over 2.5 lakh voters belong to Manjhi (read Mushahar) community. In addition, members of Dusadh (Paswan), Dhobis (washermen) and Pasi (who sell toddy) are in sizable numbers.
Scheduled Caste voters play a decisive role in the victory of the candidates, as they have around 17 per cent of votes in the reserved constituency.
The last time Congress won the Gaya seat was in 1984 and the RJD in 2004. The BJP clinched victory in 2009 and 2014, and the Janata Dal (United) in 2019. However, at least since 1999, a member of the Manjhi community has represented the seat.
In Jamui, an SC category seat in Bihar, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) from the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance has fielded Archana Ravidass in the key constituency, while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJP), from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has fielded Arun Bharti.
Earlier in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, LJP chief Chirag Kumar Paswan emerged victorious by receiving 55.7 per cent of the votes polled. RJD's Bhudeo Choudhary came in second, winning 30.4 per cent of the votes and the Bahujan Samaj Party's Upendra Ravidas came in a distant third, winning 3.3 per cent of the votes.
In Bihar's Nawada, the RJD has fielded Shrawan Kumar Kushwaha, while the Bharatiya Janata Party from the ruling alliance has fielded Vivek Thakur. Thakur, son of CP Thakur, a former member of Rajya Sabha, a Bhumihar, is a relatively fresh face as compared to his contenders.
Vinod Yadav, an RJD rebel, is also in the fray from this constituency, which has been a BJP bastion.
Earlier in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Chandan Singh from the LJP won in Nawada, winning 52.6 per cent of votes, while Vibha Devi from the RJD came in second, winning 36.9 per cent of votes.
With 40 Lok Sabha seats, Bihar is seen as among the most significant states in Indian politics. (ANI)