Bihar Assembly Election 2020: Top leaders cast votes, urge people to come out in large numbers

Several leaders, including chief minister Nitish Kumar, the Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, former chief minister Rabri Devi and LJP’s Chirag Paswan, came out to vote as the second phase of Bihar assembly elections started on Tuesday in 94 seats spread over 17 districts. Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan and deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi also cast their votes at different booths in the state capital of Patna.

The second of the three phases of Bihar assembly polls is being held on Tuesday in which over 28.5 million voters are eligible to decide the fate of nearly 1,500 candidates. There are 1,464 candidates in fray including 46 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 43 from Janata Dal(United), 56 from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and 24 from Congress. Five candidates from the Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP), which is part of the NDA, are also in the fray. From the Mahagathbandhan, three Left parties are contesting on 14 seats (CPI-ML six, CPI and CPI-M on four each). Voting in the last phase will take place on November 7 and the counting will be conducted on November 10.

Here is what the leaders said after casting their votes in the Bihar assembly elections:

Nitish Kumar

“People should vote. My best wishes to them,” chief minister Nitish Kumar said after casting his vote at a booth in Raj Bhawan.

Phagu Chauhan

Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan cast his vote at the polling booth at government school in Digha. “I appeal to the people to participate in elections in large numbers. I hope that the voting percentage will be more than the previous time.”

Sushil Kumar ModiDeputy chief minister Modi also exercised his voting right and cast his vote at polling booth no.49 at St Joseph High School in Rajendra Nagar. “I appeal to the people to step out of their homes, cast their vote, maintain social distancing and keep wearing masks,” he said.

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Tejashwi Prasad Yadav

The Rashtriya Janata Dal’s chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who visited booth number 160 at Veterinary college ground along with mother and former chief minister Rabri Devi, said that the people of the state are keen on bringing change and the mandate would reflect it.

“People want change and there is a wave for it,” he said, reiterating that there was a favourable response to his party’s vision.

Rabri Devi

Former chief minister Rabri Devi, who accompanied her son Tejashwi, also said there was ‘wave for change’. “Badlaav ki Ganga bah rahi hai (there is a current of change),” she said.

Chirag Paswan

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan, who cast his vote at a polling booth in Khagaria, urged voters not to let their votes go to waste and said that the people of the state have given their blessings for “Nitish-free Bihar”.

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