Heated Polls: Bihar's First Phase Assembly Election Kicks Off

Bihar's first phase assembly election witnessed 27.65% voter turnout by 11 am. Begusarai led with a 30.37% polling rate. Opposition RJD alleged vote suppression through power cuts, which the Election Commission refuted. The election determines the fate of 1,314 candidates, with voting open till 5 pm.

The first phase of Bihar's assembly elections reported a voter turnout of 27.65% by 11 am on Thursday, as 3.75 crore people were called to the polls. Begusarai district showed the highest turnout at 30.37%, followed by Lakhisarai with 30.32% and Gopalganj's 30.04%.

Controversy arose as the opposition party RJD accused the ruling coalition of voter suppression through intermittent power cuts at key booths. These allegations were termed 'baseless and misleading' by the Bihar Chief Electoral Office, which assured a transparent and smooth voting process across the state.

Key political figures like Bihar Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, along with opposition leaders Tejashwi Yadav and others, cast their votes early. Voting, which began at 7 am, will continue under tight security until 5 pm, deciding the fate of 1,314 candidates.

(With inputs from agencies.)