Bihar bypolls underway; 31.25% voter turnout in Araria till noon

ANI photo

PATNA: Voting for bypolls to three Bihar seats — Araria Lok Sabha and Jehanabad and Bhabua assembly seats began on Sunday morning. The polling will continue till 5 in the evening.

The chief contest is between BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Grand Alliance comprising of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) [HAM (S)] or HAM-S. The outcome of the bypolls are likely to set the tone for 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The Araria Lok Sabha bypolls were necessitated following the death of sitting RJD lawmaker Mohammad Taslimuddin. The bypolls to Jehanabad and Bhabua assembly seats are being held following the death of sitting legislators from the RJD and the BJP, respectively. 

11 March 2018

13:23 PM

#Araria by-poll: An elderly woman casts her vote with the help of family members. #Bihar pic.twitter.com/VB2l7yVTwS

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2018

13:21 PM

RJD candidate for #Araria by-poll, Sarfaraz Alam, casts his vote. On allegations of BJP he said, "Jo sheeshe ke ghar mein rehte hain dusron pe pathar nahi maarte. I am sure of a victory, my religion is development.' #Bihar pic.twitter.com/88aopp6YJd

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2018

12:28 PM

Araria Lok Sabha bypoll recorded 31.25% voter turnout, while Bhabua recorded 24.5% turnout and Jehanabad 28.6 % turnout.

11:37 AM

A total of 14 candidates are in the fray in Jehanabad

11:37 AM

In Jehanabad, the RJD hopes to retain the Assembly seat that fell vacant after the death of Mundrika Yadav. The party has given ticket to Yadav's son Kumar Krishna Mohan.

11:36 AM

In Araria parliamentary constituency, seven candidates are in the fray. Former BJP MP Pradeep Kumar Singh is seeking to regain the seat from the RJD which has fielded Sarfaraz Alam, the death of whose father Mohd Taslimuddin has necessitated the bypoll.

11:30 AM

About 12 per cent electorate cast their votes till 10 am in the bypolls

09:32 AM

Pradeep Singh, the BJP candidate for Araria bypolls, casts his vote. 

BJP candidate for #Araria by-polls, Pradeep Singh, casts his vote. #Bihar pic.twitter.com/giMpEG8rdm

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2018

09:15 AM

Jehanabad Assembly By-Poll: People queue up at a polling station in the area. #Bihar pic.twitter.com/1BBvWiptq5

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2018

08:02 AM

The by-elections are set to see direct contests between the NDA-led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Grand Alliance, which got its third constituent in the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) of Jitan Ram Manjhi, who quit the NDA to switch sides.

07:44 AM

A complaint has been lodged against Bihar BJP state President Nityanand Rai' on charges of violating the model code of conduct for his comment.

"If Sarfaraz Alam (RJD candidate) wins the bypoll then Araria will become hub of ISI," he had said. 

07:34 AM

"For development and good governance, BJP is necessary," says UP CM Adityanath. 

Gorakhpur: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath casts his vote for #GorakhpurByPoll at a polling station, says 'For development and good governance, BJP is necessary.' pic.twitter.com/JxcYkIKnEI

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 11, 2018

07:17 AM

Visuals from Bihar bypolls

#Bihar: Voting for Lok Sabha By-election begins in Araria. pic.twitter.com/e1dPDoJYnO

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2018

07:00 AM

Voting begins at Araria, Jehanabad and Bhabua