Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joined in the contest to decide whether he will continue in the top post for another five years, casting his vote in Patna on Tuesday, 3 November. Kumar, who is the CM candidate for the incumbent JD(U)-BJP alliance, urged everyone to join in the electoral process, while casting his vote at a government school in Digha.
LJP leader Chirag Paswan continued with his salvos against the man who has been CM for the last 15 years when he went to cast his vote in Khagaria, tweeting:
“After the first phase of polling, the fear of defeat in Nitish Kumar ji is not hidden from anyone. People have rejected him. I appeal to all not to let the vote go wasted. People have given blessings for a change in Bihar. Nitish free Bihar.......Bihar first Bihari first.”
Paswan’s LJP, which had earlier been part of the ruling coalition in the state, had decided to contest the Bihar elections separately, though he has suggested the party would be happy to ally with the BJP to form the government.
RJD CM candidate Tejashwi Yadav, who has led a late charge for the RJD-Congress ‘Mahagathbandhan’ also cast his vote in Patna, along with former CM and RJD leader (and his mother) Rabri Devi.
PM Urges People to Cast Vores, Take Precautions
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people of Bihar to cast their votes in the phase two of polls on Tuesday, 3 November, while also encouraging them to maintain physical distancing and wear masks while “celebrating democracy.”
He also appealed to voters to cast their ballot in the bypolls being held in 54 Assembly seats, across 10 states.
“Today, there are by-polls taking place in various places across India. I urge those voting in these seats to vote in large numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy,” he tweeted.
Bihar Governor, BJP Leaders Cast Votes
Sushil Kumar Modi, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader, who recovered from coronavirus, cast his vote in Patna’s Rajendra Nagar seat.
“I appeal to the people to step out of their homes, cast their vote, maintain social distancing and keep wearing mask.”Sushil Kumar Modi
Minister of State (Home) and BJP leader Nityanand Rai also cast his vote at Karanpura, Hajipur.
Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan, like the CM, cast his vote in the second phase of Bihar elections, at the polling booth at government school in Digha, Patna.
Speaking to news agency ANI, he said, "I appeal to the people to participate in election in large numbers. I hope that voting percentage will be more than previous time."
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