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Battle for Bihar
The process for the four-phased assembly elections in Bihar got underway on Friday with the issue of notification by Governor Buta Singh for holding polls in 61 constituencies in the first phase on October 18.
With this the second electoral battle for power within a year has begun in the state.
A broad consensus was reached on Monday by Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress and their other allies on the key issue of seat sharing for the Bihar assembly polls, but the parties remained tight-lipped over how many of the 243 seats they would contest.
Taking a lead in announcing candidates for Bihar assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday night came out with its first list of nominees for 80 of the 105 seats it will contest in the four-phased polls.
Sharp differences cropped up among National Democratic Alliance partners on Thursday on seat-sharing for the Bihar Assembly polls with Janata Dal (United) taking strong exception to BJP's objections over allocation of seats to former Lok Janshakti Party members of legislative assembly and some independents who had joined JD(U).
Workers of the Rashtriya Janata Dal in Patna clean lanterns as they prepare for campaigning in the Bihar elections. The RJD's election symbol is a lantern.
Photograph: STR/AFP/Getty Images
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