Bihar Assembly Elections 2020 live updates: Polling underway, PM Modi urges voters to follow COVID-19 protocols

The first phase of Assembly elections in Bihar is being held in 71 constituencies. The Opposition led by RJD is leaving no stone unturned to unseat Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is eyeing his fourth term. Elections to the 243-seat Bihar assembly are being held in three phases.

The elections are the first in the situation created by COVID-19 that has posed new challenges for the participants in the electoral process particularly political parties who could hold a lesser number of rallies and public gatherings.

The elections have also seen the emergence of a third front with RLSP leader Upendra Kushwaha as the chief ministerial candidate. LJP is fighting the polls outside the NDA and has put up candidates against JD(U).

A total of 71 assembly constituencies spread over 16 districts have gone to polls in the first phase and will decide the fate of 1,066 candidates. A total of 2,14,84,787 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise.

In NDA, JD(U) is contesting 115 seats, BJP 110, Vikassheel Insaan Party 11 seats and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha seven seats of the total 243 seats in the state.

In the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), which has Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate, RJD is contesting 144 seats, Congress 70, CPI-ML 19, CPI six and CPI-M four.

In 2015, Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) fought polls with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress as part of Mahagathbandhan. The BJP-led NDA had fought elections with LJP and other allies. JD-U later returned to NDA and formed the government.