On Tuesday, Bihar achieved a record voter turnout of 67.14 percent, provisionally, at the conclusion of polling in the second and final phase of the significant Assembly elections, viewed as a crucial referendum on the state’s longest-serving Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar. The turnout across 122 constituencies, with 3.70 crore voters, exceeded the previous record of 65.09 percent from the first phase on November 6 and is expected to increase, as officials observed long queues at many polling booths. Kishanganj, the only Muslim-majority district in the state, reported the highest polling percentage at 76.26, followed by Katihar at 75.23, Purnea at 73.79, Supaul at 70.69, and Araria at 67.79.
Most of these districts are located near the Nepal border in the north-eastern Kosi-Seemanchal region, which is prone to flooding and has a significant minority population. High voter turnout was also noted in southern Bihar districts such as Jamui (67.81 percent), Gaya (67.50 percent), and Kaimur (67.22 percent). The lowest turnout was in Nawada, which recorded 57.31 percent and did not reach the 60 percent mark by 5 pm. Although Kumar, a member of the state legislative council, is not contesting in this election, the BJP-led NDA is relying on the concept of ‘good governance’ during Kumar’s tenure to mitigate the anti-incumbency sentiment.
This phase is critical for the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc, which hopes to capitalize on incumbency challenges and the significant Muslim population in several districts. The second phase holds particular importance for the Congress party, which, despite being a diminished force, remains the second-largest member of the INDIA bloc in Bihar. Out of the 19 seats it secured in the 2020 assembly elections, 12 are contested in this phase. Notable sitting MLAs include state president Rajesh Kumar Ram from Kutumba and Shakeel Ahmed Khan from Kadwa.