Bihar Polls: BJP’s New Formula to Woo Dalits

PATNA: With the ongoing preparation of the remaining three phases of Bihar polling, The BJP has devised a formula to connect to the Dalits and the extremely backward castes (EBC). A state BJP minister said on Friday, “the DEOR formula stands for the inspiring mixture of Dalit-mahadalit, EBCs, Organizational party network and the Reservation issue”

Polling for 81 seats is over while voting for 162 constituencies over three days will occur in the coming weeks. 22 out of 38 districts of 162 constituencies consists of riverine areas where the groups of EBC caste such as Nishads (boatmen), Bind and Mallah (fishermen) and Nonis is politically significant. Dalits and EBCs attributes for around 38% population of Bihar.

Star Campaigners Resume Bihar Rallies After a Durga Puja Break

Patna: After a 36-hour break for Durga Puja, the star campaigners of the ongoing Bihar Assembly polls are back to the action, resuming their campaigning today by addressing election rallies.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad, BJP president Amit Shah and his senior party leaders left Patna to address rallies today after the much-required break that Durga Puja provided on Thursday.

“Nitish Kumar is addressing about half a dozen rallies while Lalu Prasad is about to address seven rallies separately,” a leader of Grand alliance said.

BJP President Amit Shah is three campaigns and a former deputy chief minister and the main contender for the Chief Minister’s post from BJP, Sushil Kumar Modi is addressing nearly four election rallies.

After a span of nearly one month of continuous election rallies, the star campaigners spent Dussehra and Durga Puja day at their residencies.

Nitish Kumar is the candidate for the post of Chief Minister from Grand alliance while Sushil Kumar is the candidate for the post from BJP-led NDA.

The third phase of the Bihar Polls is scheduled on October 28.

NDA desires increased with 57% Turn Out Vote in Bihar Polls Phase I

Bihar: The first phase of the Bihar elections for 49 Assembly seats in 10 districts passed off peacefully including the Maoist-affected areas, amid tight security on Monday with 57 percent vote cast.

The National Democratic Alliance throbbed a sigh of relief over the increase in voting percentage and desires are increased with the 57% turn out votes. Women voters outnumbered the male voters by five percent.

With the completion of the first phase of Bihar poll, political observers believe that the trend is still 50-50 for both the parties. “It is still not very clear who is in advantage and who is losing, but available scenario indicates, a close and tough competition ahead,” said, a political observer N.K Chaudhary.

However, both the party leaders consider the polling trend going in their favour. “The BJP-led NDA will not acquire more than 10-12 seats in the first phase,” announced a JD(U) leader, while the BJP leaders of the state said: “the high poll percentage shows that the people are fed up with the ruling party and have voted for change this time.”

The voting percentage, in these districts during the 2010 Assembly polls was 50.85 while this time it is increased to 57,” State Election Comission said. Arrangements of tight security were made and Central paramilitary forces were deployed at every booth. Five helicopters and three drones were deployed for surveillance in the Maoist-affected districts.

According to the state Election Commission, around 110 suspected persons were arrested and some vehicles were also seized for the purpose of maintaining peace.

Bihar elections 2015: Nominations for Second Phase Started

PATNA: The nomination papers filing for the second phase of the Bihar assembly polls which is to be held on October 16, started Today.

In the second phase, the elections will be held in 32 constituencies out of the total 243 assembly constituencies.

The last date for the nomination filing for the second phase is September 28. The scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on September 29 and the withdrawal of nomination by the candidates can be done till October 1.

R. Lakshamanan, the Additional Chief Electoral Officer said that the process of the five-phased assembly elections in Bihar started last week with the nomination papers filing for the first phase.

In the second phase, the constituencies going to the polls are in Aurangabad, Gaya, Jehanabad, Rohtas, Arwal and Kaimur districts.

The main contest for the Bihar polls is between the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)- led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the grand ‘secular’ alliance of the Janta Dal- United (JD-U), Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) and the Congress.

Election of new 243-member assembly in staggered polls in Bihar is to be held between October 12 and November 5. Bihar will elect for the polls. The vote counting will be held on November 8.

Bihar Polls: Date of Scrutiny Revised for Fifth Phase

New Delhi: On Thursday, the Election Commission revised the date of scrutiny of nominations for the fifth phase of Bihar assembly polls. The EC made a minor modification in the schedule, advancing the date by a day.

According to a statement made by the commission, it has decided to revise the “date of scrutiny” for the fifth phase from October 17 to October 16.

No reasons are mentioned in the statement. Election Commission has powers to make these modifications under the provisions of section 30 of the Representation of the People Act.

The announcement for the last phase will be made on October 8 while voting will be held on November 5.

The five-phased elections will take place from October 12 to November 5. Votes will be counted on November 8.

Bihar Elections: BJP Announces First List of 43 Candidates, Allies Dejected Over Seat Share

NEW DELHI: Tuesday night, putting out a list of 43 candidates, the BJP became the first one among the block to release the name of candidates for Bihar assembly. Among the list of 43 names, 26 are the sitting MLAs. Focusing on youth aspirations and to balance caste equations, BJP has denied tickets to three MLAs.

The Central Election Committee (CEC) of BJP finalized 34 candidates from among 81 seats running to polls in the first two phase- October 12 and October 16. Nine more candidates will be joining from other phases. Thus, a total of 43 candidates announced by BJP.

According to the ticket announcements, 15 of 22 sitting party MLAs from these two phases have been renominated by BJP. According to the released list of candidates it appeared that the renomination of BJP MLAs from five different assembly segments Pirpainti, Teghra, Rajauli, Gurua and Katoria have been denied by the party considering their victory in assembly segments 2010.

The list included 19 candidates from the first phase while from the second phase 15 candidates are included. As well as additional nine candidates from other phases were announced.

Among the list of nine candidates from other phases, prominent sitting MLAs have been nominated by the party, including Nand Kishore Yadav, the leader of opposition in state assembly, BJP’s national vice-president Rendu Devi among others. The list of nine candidates was proposed to include names of prominent MLAs from different social groups to indicate special consideration to prominent social groups of BJP’s for the leader of those communities.

Bihar Elections: NDA Firms up Action Plan

Patna: Over much bargaining by the Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) led by Jitan Ram Manjhi and some dissatisfaction for Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RSLP), The NDA has finalized its seat sharing arrangement.

This time in Bihar, the BJP-led NDA will be nominating more Muslim and Yadav candidates to neutralize the formidable social alliance of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav. NDA believes that the inclusion of Jitan Ram Manjhi will give them the advantage in the state having the deep caste fault lines.

BJP leader of Bihar, Sushil Kumar Modi who is a strong contender for the post of CM if NDA wins, today said that people believe that development has become a misfortune after Nitish Kumar has left BJP and joined hands with the RJD and congress.

The former deputy chief minister asserted that NDA has no “allergy” with Muslims and said that this time, his party would put up more Muslim candidates. “BJP and its allies will certainly include more Muslims,” he told reporters and claimed that Muslims have good chemistry with Bihar BJP.

Bihar BJP chief Mangal Pandey informed PTI that more Yadavs will be contesting on BJP’s tickets this time.

Sushil Kumar Modi said people believes that Nitish Kumar would carry on fighting with the Centre for one reason or the another and so they want BJP in power for the development of the state.

Mahadalit leader Jitan Ram Manjhi inclusion in the alliance will give an advantage to NDA, he said, adding that, in the Lok Sabha polls the community had mostly voted for Nitish Kumar.

Bihar elections 2015: Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM to Contest in Seemanchal

Hyderabad: Asaduddin Owaisi, the president of All India Majlis­e­Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)

on Saturday informed that the party would contest the upcoming Bihar polls in the Seemanchal region.

Encouraged by his achievement in Maharashtra Assembly polls 2014, Owaisi is testing waters for Bihar in the contest to polls.

It is still not clear about the number of seats which he would field candidates in the region comprising of nearly 38 seats.

Owaisi told reporters that the number of seats it will be contesting will be soon announced by All India Majlis­e­Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

The seemanchal region of Bihar comprises four districts­ Purnea, Araria, Kishanganj and Katihar.These districts altogether rank as one of the most backward regions of India.

Low literacy rate, poverty, unemployment, corruption and health and sanitation are some of the major concerns of this region.

Seemanchal has 24 assembly constituencies.

Hyderabad MP said that the main issue of the Bihar polls, for his party will be the backwardness of Seemanchal. “Seemanchal has remained backward as it has been ignored by major parties in Bihar. Our main goal is to develop this region,” he said. He also announced that Akhtarul Iman will be the president of AIMIM for Bihar unit.

Bihar Elections: BJP About to Contest 170 Seats, Offer 73 to Allies

NEW DELHI: On thursday, The BJP has decided to fight 170 seats in the Bihar Assembly polls – a major portion in the 243-member house, leaving 73 seats for its three allies – HAM, LJP and RLSP.

According to informed sources, a maximum of 40 seats was likely to be given to Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). 20 seats to Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP), and 13 seats to former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM).

Sources said the offer has disappointed Kushwaha and Manjhi though they have publicly abstained from conveying their disappointment and unhappiness.

Union minister and election in-charge of Bihar, Ananth Kumar held meetings with Kushwaha and Manjhi personally at his official residence on Thursday and discussed the seat-sharing formula.

BJP’s general secretary in-charge of Bihar Bhupendra Yadav also attended the meetings.

According to the sources, the BJP has decided a wide formula in which each party will be allotted 6-7 assembly seats for every parliamentary constituency in its stake.

However, Manjhi opposed this as his party has no parliament member, and pitched for the seats as per numbers in the present assembly.

Jitanram Manjhi has 13 MLAs whereas Ram Vilas Paswan has no members in the assembly.

According to the formula, the BJP having 22 MPs in Bihar was about to get around 170 seats.

Paswan’s LJP having six MPs was about to get around 40 seats and Kushwaha’s RLSP having three MPs was about to get nearly 20 seats.

Pre-Poll Survey in Bihar: Advantage for Lalu-Nitish- Congress while BJP-led alliance will lose

NEW DELHI: According to a pre-poll survey, on Wednesday, out of the total 243 seats the RJD, JD(U) and Congress combined alliance in Bihar is expected to achieve nearly 116 to 132 seats in the assembly elections which is scheduled to be held in five phases between October 12 and November 5.

India TV – CVoter poll showed that the BJP-led alliance, including Rashtriya Lok Samata Party and Lok Janshakti Party, is predicted to get 94 to 110 seats.

The predictions are made on a methodology which is based on a random eccentric sample of 10,638 interviews which covered all 243 segments in Bihar during the last week of August and the first week of September.

“The margin of error is plus/minus 5 percent at the regional level and plus/minus 3 percent at the state level,” C-Voter said.

In the Bihar assembly polls 2010, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD-led alliance with Paswan could achieve only 25 seats while the then BJP-JD(U) alliance had won 206 seats.

On asking the question about who would be the best Chief Minister, a majority of 53 percent respondents favoured Nitish Kumar, while only 18 percent favoured Sushil Kumar Modi and Lalu Prasad Yadav and BJP’s Shatrughan Sinha both were favoured by only 5 percent each.

According to vote percentage, the Lalu-Nitish-Congress alliance is predicted to win 43 percent votes, while the BJP-led alliance is predicted to gain 40 percent votes and 17 percent votes going to others.

Nearly, fifty-six percent respondents said that the current elections will be in the favour of change.

Responding to a question on who was responsible for such a poor condition of the state, approximately 52 percent respondents held the current state government responsible while 35 percent respondents blamed the Central government.