Bihar's Mokama Constituency: Battle of the 'Bahubalis' in Vote Counting Tussle

In Bihar's Mokama assembly, JD(U)'s jailed Anant Kumar Singh narrowly leads over RJD's Veena Devi as vote counting continues, with JSP's Priyadarshi Piyush lagging. Meanwhile, BJP's Dilip Jaiswal asserts NDA's likely victory in 2025's assembly polls, attributing it to Nitish Kumar's popularity.

As the third round of vote counting unfolds in Mokama, part of Bihar's Patna district, early indicators suggest a nail-biting contest. Jailed Janata Dal (United) MLA Anant Kumar Singh takes a slender lead of 700 votes over Rashtriya Janata Dal's Veena Devi, with Jan Suraaj Party's Priyadarshi Piyush trailing significantly by 10,536 votes.

According to the Election Commission of India's official portal, a neck-and-neck race is evident in Bihar, with JD(U) currently leading in 63 assembly seats, closely trailed by BJP at 61. On the other side of the aisle, the opposition RJD commands 34 seats, while Congress holds 11 constituencies.

Amid these dynamic developments, Bihar BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal confidently projects the National Democratic Alliance securing the necessary public mandate in the upcoming 2025 assembly elections. In dialogues with ANI, Jaiswal emphatically affirms the pivotal role played by Nitish Kumar, suggesting a widespread public endorsement of the slogan '2025, phir se Nitish'.

Initial trends, as votes are tallied for the Bihar assembly elections, indicate the ruling NDA crossing the critical threshold of 122 seats, thereby consolidating its lead over the Mahagathbandhan. Kicking off this electoral exercise, Anant Kumar Singh found himself under arrest due to his alleged involvement in the murder of Jan Suraaj supporter Dularchand Yadav, a development confirmed by Patna's Senior Superintendent of Police, Kartikeya Sharma.

Post-arrest, Singh, along with acquaintances Manikant Thakur and Ranjeet Ram, faced the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Patna. Notably, Mokama bears a storied history as a bastion for influential 'bahubalis' in the political tapestry of Bihar, exemplified by figures like Anant Kumar Singh, his kin Dilip Singh, and Surajbhan Singh.

The murder of Dularchand Yadav thrusts Mokama once again into the spotlight, potentially swaying electoral dynamics. This year's political confrontation in the Mokama Assembly segment underlines the predominant sway of two 'Bahubalis' – Anant Singh and Surajbhan Singh – navigating the district's electoral discourse. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)