1,090 candidates in fray for 71 seats in first phase poll

New Delhi: As many as 1,090 candidates are in fray for the 71 seats in the first phase of Bihar assembly elections, which is scheduled on October 28. The first phase of Bihar assembly election will be held in 16 districts.

Importantly, there were only 10 candidates who filed their nominations online, while 1,344 candidates submitted their nomination papers physically with a "visible" number of vehicles and supporters along with them.

According to Bihar Election Commission, the nomination papers of 264 candidates have been cancelled as of the total 1,354 nominations filed till October 8, the last date of nomination filing, the papers of only 1,090 candidates found valid. The last date of withdrawal of nomination is October 12.

There are maximum 28 candidates in fray from Paliganj assembly constituency in Patna district followed by 27 candidates from Gaya Town constituency in Gaya district and 26 candidates from Tarapur assembly seat in Munger district.

There are 24 candidates in fray from Arwal seat in Jehanabad district, while 23 candidates contesting from Shahpur, Gurua and Tikari assembly seats and 22 each candidate are in fray from Rajauli (SC) and Wazirganj seats.

In the first phase, major candidates in the fray are Jitan Ram Manjhi from Imamganj (SC), Shreyasi Singh from Jamui, Rameshwar Chaurasia from Sasaram, Rajendra Singh from Dinara, Sandeep Saurav, former general secretary of JNU's student union, from Paliganj, strongman Anant Singh from Mokama and Divya Prakash, the daughter of former Union minister Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav, from Tarapur assembly constituency.

Former Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary would take on sitting MLA and former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi from Imamganj. Choudhary, who has served twice as the Speaker, lost the Imamganj seat to Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) candidate Manjhi in the last assembly elections.

As per Election Commission, 1,570 check posts have been installed in the state and 899 SST are operational.

As of now, 8,90,792 litre of liquor has been seized, while above Rs 14.63 crore has been confiscated during vehicle patrolling in the state since the model code of conduct came into force on September 25 after the announcement of poll dates.