PATNA: The first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections began on Thursday with several prominent political figures, including Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and Union Ministers Giriraj Singh and Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’, casting their votes early in the day.
Polling commenced at 7 am for 121 constituencies across 18 districts amid tight security. According to election officials, 13.13 per cent of the 3.75 crore eligible voters had exercised their franchise by 9 am. Saharsa recorded the highest turnout at 15.27 per cent, followed by Begusarai at 14.6 per cent and Muzaffarpur at 14.38 per cent. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar travelled to his hometown, Bakhtiarpur, to vote, writing on X, “Voting is not only a right but also a duty of citizens in democracy.”
After voting in Tarapur, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said, “The work done by Nitish Kumar should continue. A lot of effort has gone into the transformation we are witnessing today. Vote for development.” Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who voted in Lakhisarai, defended identity checks for burqa-clad women, saying it was to prevent “vote chori” or vote theft. “This is not religious bias... We are not living in Pakistan. Neither will Bihar have a Tejashwi Yadav government, nor will Sharia law be implemented here,” he remarked.
Tejashwi Yadav, accompanied by his family including RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, cast his vote at Patna’s Veterinary College. “I appeal to the youth to bring a change by installing a new government,” he said. His mother, former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, urged citizens “to vote and bring a change”. Union Minister Nityanand Rai encouraged voters, saying, “Bihar is the birthplace of democracy, and in every grain of its soil resides the spirit and devotion toward democracy.”
Voting will continue until 5 pm. In this phase, 1,314 candidates are contesting, including Tejashwi Yadav and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
