Bihar elections LIVE: Campaign ends for second phase, voting on Nov 3

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Bihar election 2020 LIVE updates: Bihar election 2020 LIVE updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday began addressing four rallies in Bihar that is voting for three-phased elections, the country's biggest in the coronavirus pandemic.

Bihar will reelect the "double engine" government of Janata Dal United and the Bharatiya Janata Party, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, alleging the Opposition will bring back "jungle raj”. He also said that the public response during the Bihar Assembly elections clearly indicated that the new government in the state will again be formed under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership.

"Voter turnout in phase one elections on Wednesday proves that the NDA government under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is returning to power,” said Modi in Chapra. Turnout was almost 54 per cent on Wednesday.

This is his third visit to Bihar in the last few weeks where Nitish Kumar--the National Democratic Alliance's chief ministerial candidate--is seeking a fourth term.
 

Modi started his election tour with a rally in Chapra, the political bastion of Lalu Prasad, the Rashtriya Janata Dal leader who is serving a prison sentence in corruption cases. News agency PTI reported Modi will then speak at Samastipur, Motihari and Bagaha. The first phase of Bihar election were held on Wednesday.

Stay tuned for latest updates on Bihar Election 2020

8:34 PM

PM campaigning in Bihar to substitute for Nitish's unpopularity: Chirag Paswan

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being forced to conduct seven consecutive rallies in Bihar to substitute for the Chief minister's unpopularity as he is aware that not a single person would vote in the name of Nitish Kumar.

 

"PM Narendra Modi himself is conducting so many rallies in Bihar. He is putting in a lot of effort because everyone knows that not a single Bihari is going to vote in the name of the present CM Nitish Kumar

 

"The Prime Minister has to hold seven rallies in two days because Nitish Kumar is quite unpopular in Bihar. Modi Ji is working hard to substitute for the Bihar CM's unpopularity. Otherwise, PM Modi could have easily won the Bihar election sitting in Delhi," Chirag Paswan said.

 

"Why are BJP leaders bowing their heads before such a corrupt Chief Minister Nitish Kumar? Such remarks disappoint their own party workers and voters. Chief Minister himself knows he's not going to win, LJP chief Chirag Paswan said replying to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Jagat Prakash Nadda assertion that even if BJP gets more seats, Nitish will be the leader of the Mahagathbandhan.

7:47 PM

Who says BJP can't be defeated, asks Chidambaram

Amid the keenly contested Bihar Assembly elections, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said that the poll results since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections showed that the BJP can be defeated and hoped that Bihar results will prove it.

 

"Who said BJP cannot be defeated? Opposition parties must believe that they can defeat the BJP. I hope this will be proved in Bihar," he tweeted.

 

In another post, the former Union Finance Minister said: "In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP candidates won 319 out of 381 Assembly segments.

 

"Of the total 381 Assembly segments where elections were held (330) or by-elections (51) since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where there were BJP candidates, they won only 163 of these 381 segments." He was referring to the results of Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Haryana.

6:17 PM

Campaign ends for second phase of Bihar elections

Campaigning for the second phase of Bihar assembly elections ended on Sunday evening, setting the stage for polling on Tuesday in 94 constituencies spread across 17 districts.

 

The last day of campaigning witnessed hectic canvassing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing four back-to-back rallies in support of NDA candidates, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who is also in the fray in this phase, criss-crossing over a dozen venues.

 

According to the Election Commission, more than 2.85 crore voters will decide the electoral fate of 1,463 candidates -- 1316 male, 146 female and one transgender.

 

Of the total 2,85,50,285 voters 1,50,33,034 are male, 1,35,16,271 female and 980 transgender, as per the poll panel data.

5:49 PM

It's 'double yuvraj' versus NDA's double engine in Bihar: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday blazed through the electoral battleground in Bihar mocking RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as "double yuvraj" (two crown princes) who stood for "jungle raj" and were pitted against the NDA's "double engine" growth which has pulled the state out of lantern age.

 

Firing on all cylinders on a day when campaign for 94 assembly segments going to polls in the second phase came to an end, Modi also touched upon contentious issues like Balakot air strike, Ayodhya, Article 370, Citzenship Amendment Act and the alleged anti-national slogans raised at JNU by pro-Left activists.

 

"One of the double yuvraj had forged an alliance in Uttar Pradesh a few years ago. He criss-crossed through the state wearing a black jacket, waving at crowds. The alliance was drubbed," said Modi referring to Rahul Gandhi, whom he did not mention by name.

 

Gandhi had entered into a belated alliance with Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party in 2017 and held a joint campaign marked by roadshows with the catchphrase "UP ko ye saath pasand hai (UP likes this coalition)".

4:26 PM

Nitish will quit NDA after assembly polls, try to challenge PM Modi in 2024: Chirag

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may ditch the BJP after the assembly poll results are out, join the RJD-led Grand Alliance and make yet another attempt at posing a challenge to the NDA in the 2024 general elections, Lok Janshakti Party president Chirag Paswan claimed on Sunday.

 

Paswan, who has chosen to plough a lonely furrow in the ongoing assembly elections, reiterated that the LJP was and will remain loyal towards the BJP, which was staring at the spectre of yet another "paltimaar" (volte face) by the JD(U) president.

 

"Nitish Kumar has earned the epithet 'palturam' (turncoat) by virtue of his frequent acts of paltimaar. He came to power in Bihar after a long political battle with RJD chief Lalu Prasad. A few years later, he snapped ties with the BJP, an old ally and ended up forging an alliance with his arch rival," he told a news channel.

3:41 PM

PM Modi brings up Ram Mandir in Motihari rally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of Ram Mandir in his rally at Motihari's Gandhi Maidan in Bihar's East Champaran district.

 

"I have come many times to Champaran, in Motihari. But after the construction of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya started, this is the first time I have come among you," said Modi. He added, "After waiting for centuries, this opportunity has come. It has come after a long period of 'tap' (prayers and sacrifices) and 'tapasya' (penance). I congratulate all you friends associated with the land of Ramayan."

 

The Ram Mandir 'bhoomi pujan' took place in August that paved the way for the construction of the temple. This is probably the first time the temple issue was used so strongly by the Prime Minister.

 

Referring to the free ration scheme during and after the lockdown for crores of underprivileged Indians, Modi connected Diwali and Chhath -- two prime festivities of Bihar.

3:24 PM

Bihar Elections: PM jabs RJD, says leaders of 'jungle raj' support naxalism

2:33 PM

PM lashes out at 'alliance of dynasts' in Bihar

2:10 PM

Bihar elections: PM talks of Pakistan's Pulwama confession, attacks "double yuvraj"

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday excoriated the opposition over the Pulwama attack after Pakistan's admission of complicity in it, saying it has "taken masks off" the faces of those in India who never cared for the "sons of Bihar" who lost their lives in the assault.

 

Addressing an election rally in Chapra, he also sought to appeal to Bihari sensitivities by speaking about 'chhath' puja, saying their "son" will ensure that kitchen fires are kept burning despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Addressing another rally in Samastipur, Modi said On one side of the political divide was the NDA which was committed to democracy and on the other an alliance devoted to dynastic politics.

 

"Has any relative of (Bihar Chief Minister) Nitish Kumar been sent to Rajya Sabha? Do you find any relative of Modi in Parliament?" he asked the audience in Samastipur which responded with a resounding "No".

 

"A few days ago, our neighbour confessed to its involvement in the Pulwama terror attack," Modi said referring to a statement made on the floor of Pakistan National Assembly by minister Fawad Chaudhry who credited Premier Imran Khan for the "success in Pulwama" where "humne Hindustan ko ghar mein ghus kar maara (we hit India on its own soil)".

1:53 PM

Bihar Polls: Campaigning for second phase to end today

The cacophony of canvassing for the second phase of Bihar Assembly Elections, due on November 3, will end on Sunday evening with all political parties having gone full-throttle.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also in Bihar to conduct rallies in favour of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates. Modi has four election meetings on card for the day.

 

Apart from Modi, Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and actor-turned-politician Manoj Tiwari are also on a campaigning spree.

 

On the other hand, many leaders including Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav are holding meetings and rallies for the Grand Alliance.

1:27 PM

Quite clear Nitish Kumar will again lead new govt in Bihar: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the public response during the Bihar Assembly elections clearly indicated that the new government in the state will again be formed under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership. He made this assertion while addressing the first of his four back-to-back public rallies scheduled in Bihar on Sunday to garner support for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates in the poll-bound state.

 

The Prime Minister started his Sunday election tour with a rally in Chapra, the bastion of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad.

 

Referring to the first phase of Assembly elections in 71 Assembly constituencies on October 28, the Prime Minister said that "it is clear that the new Bihar government will be formed under Nitish's leadership." He also said that a good public gathering in an early morning rally clearly indicated likewise.

1:15 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing an election rally in Samastipur

1:00 PM

It's double engine govt vs two yuvrajs in Bihar polls: PM Modi

Taking a dig at the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that a 'double engine government' was pitted against 'two yuvrajs' in the ongoing Bihar Assembly elections. One of these 'yuvrajs' or princes is a 'yuvraj of jungle raj', Modi said at a public rally in Chhapra.

 

"The second 'yuvraj' joined hands with a third 'yuvraj' in Uttar Pradesh, but the people rejected them. Now the second 'yuvraj' had come to Bihar to seek votes," Modi added. He was referring to Tejashwi Yadav, Rahul Gandhi, and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav.

 

"Once again, there is an opportunity to defeat the yuvrajs. What happened to them in Uttar Pradesh is going to be repeated in Bihar as well," the Prime Minister said. He referred to a video clip doing the rounds on the social media, in which a woman was asked why she was voting for Modi. The Prime Minister said that the woman's answer forced the entire opposition to go silent.

 

"She said 'Modi gave ration, pension, electricity, and cooking gas. Should I still vote for you than him?'" the Prime Minister added.

12:52 PM

BJP to form 1,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for farmers in Bihar: PM Modi at election rally in Samastipur

12:52 PM

On one side is NDA that's committed to democracy, on other is an alliance that is devoted to dynastic politics: PM Modi at Bihar rally