Parties sing development tunes in Bihar

Patna: For probably the first time in recent times Bijli (Electricity), Sadak (Road), Pani (Water) have dominated the election campaign in Bihar.

In the hinterland these development themes are also known as BSP (Bijili, Sadak, Paani).

The NDA is relying heavily on these development issues apart from the clean image of its chief ministerial candidate, Nitish Kumar, coupled with the anti incumbency factor which it expects will work against the RJD.

The illegal release of RJD candidate and Union Minister Jai Prakash Narain Yadav?s brother Vijay Prakash provided more ammunition to the armoury of the NDA to oust the Rashtriya Janata Dal, which had garnered the lion's share of the seats going to the polls.

NDA leaders also made an attempt to make high prices of onions an election issue but voters, largely divided on caste lines, might not have taken it seriously.

The second phase of the four phase Bihar elections is to be held on October 26.

Political heavyweights whose fate would be decided on October 26 include former Chief Minister Rabri Devi (RJD), state Congress president Sadanand Singh, former leader of Bihar BJP Legislative Party Ashwani Kumar Choubey, former leader of opposition Upendra Prasad Kushwaha (JD-U), former minister Ramai Ram (RJD), Monajir Hasan (JD-U), Pashupati Kumar Paras (LJP) and Veena Shahi (Congress).

In all, there are 1,39,04311 voters to decide the fate of 540 candidates, 186 of whom are Independents and 40 women, at 15,241 booths.

The RJD and LJP are contesting 58 seats each in the second phase, the BSP 53, the JD (U) 41, the Samajawadi Party 38, the BJP 26, the CPI (ML) (L) 22, the Congress 15, the CPI 11, the CPI (M) five and the NCP three.

At stake are 60 seats, which will go to the polls in the second phase on October 26.

Elections in seven constituencies have been deferred mainly for security reasons. Polling would be held in these seats on October 29.

Electioneering for second phase has been peaceful and picked up after polling came to an end for the first phase.

It was marked by visits of important central leaders of all political parties who took to aerial routes on chartered choppers avoiding Bihar's infamous bumpy roads, to reach the electorate in far flung areas.