For the BJP, the stakes are particularly high as they aim to retain five of these seats, which represent more than a quarter of their total tally of 17 in the state.
In Arrah, Union Minister RK Singh is seeking a third consecutive term. His main opponent is Sudama Prasad of the CPI(ML) Liberation, a party that has gained traction in the state through its alliance with the RJD and Congress. The Arrah seat includes Agiaon, where a by-poll is also being held due to the disqualification of CPI(ML) MLA Manoj Manzil following a murder conviction. Shiv Prakash Ranjan, a former student leader, is running for the CPI(ML) in the by-poll, while the NDA has fielded JD(U)’s Prabhunath Prasad.
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In Patna Sahib, veteran BJP parliamentarian Ravi Shankar Prasad seeks a second term, facing Congress spokesperson Anshul Avijit. Avijit comes from a notable political family, with his mother Meira Kumar being a former Lok Sabha speaker.Patliputra witnessed RJD president Lalu Prasad’s eldest daughter, Misa Bharti, attempting her third run for the seat. She is up against BJP MP Ram Kripal Yadav, a former close aide of her father, who is also aiming for a third term. The BJP is banking on AIMIM candidate Mohd Farooq Raza to split the RJD votes.Nalanda, the home district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, will see JD(U)’s sitting MP Kaushlendra Kumar vying for a fourth term. His main challenger is Sandeep Saurav, a CPI(ML) MLA and former JNU student leader.Karakat is notable for its multi-cornered contest featuring Bhojpuri superstar Pawan Singh, who is running as an Independent after being expelled from the BJP. The BJP’s Upendra Kushwaha, a former Union minister, is also in the fray, along with CPI(ML)’s Raja Ram Kushwaha and AIMIM’s Priyanka Chaudhary.
In Sasaram, BJP replaced its two-term MP Chhedi Paswan with Shivesh Ram. The Congress had fielded Manoj Kumar, a recent recruit from the BSP.
Jehanabad’s JD(U) candidate Chandeshwar Prasad Chandravanshi is seeking re-election after a narrow victory margin in 2019. He is up against RJD’s Surendra Prasad Yadav, a former MP.
In Buxar, BJP opted not to field Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey for a third term. Instead, Mithilesh Tiwari is the party’s candidate, facing strong competition from RJD’s Sudhakar Singh and Independent candidate Anand Mishra.
The total electorate for these eight constituencies includes 77.02 lakh women. Voting will take place at 16,634 polling stations, with a significant number located in rural areas. Patna Sahib has the largest electorate at 22.90 lakh, despite being the smallest constituency by area.
Polling concluded on June 1, with results expected to be crucial for determining the political landscape in Bihar. Vote counting is scheduled for June 4.
