Polling begins in Nalanda and Bhagalpur

Patna, Nov 6: Pollings for Nalanda and Bhagalpur parliamentary constituencies of Bihar began peacefully at 0700 hrs today amid tight security arrangements.

Home Commissioner Afzal Amanullah here said the polling was peaceful and no untoward incident had been reported so far from any corner of the constituencies.

Inspector General of Police (headquarters) Anil Sinha said 60 companies of the Central Para Military Force (CPMF) had been deployed at all polling booths to ensure smooth elections.

Besides, 30 companies of the Bihar Military Police (BMP) and 13,600 jawans of district armed police were manning the poll in both Nalanda and Bhagalpur, he added.

Mounted police were deployed in riverine areas of Bhagalpur parliamentary constituency to check the movement of naxalites.

He said the polling was being monitored through videos and digital photography so that attempts of tampering with the poll process by unscrupulous elements could be checked.

Altogether 12,77,298 voters, including 5,94,772 women, would decide the fate of eight candidates at 1,490 polling booths in Nalanda, while 14,39,127 voters, including 672,356 women, would exercise their franchise at 1572 booths in Bhagalpur.

Polling will continue till 1600 hrs.

The Election Commission had issued a circular allowing the voters to use 17 different alternatives to prove their identity as a substitute for photo-identity cards. These include -- passports, driving licence, service card, PAN card, bank account numbers and students' I-card among others.

Prominent candidates whose political future would be decided in Bhagalpur constituency include former Union Minister Shahnawaz Hussain constesting on a BJP ticket, former CPM MP Subodh Rai and RJD leader Shakuni Choudhry. Those who are contesting from Nalanda constituency independently are Ramswaroop Prasad from JD(U) and JD(U) rebel candidate Arun Kumar. Gaya Singh of CPI is also in the fray here.

In both the constituencies, development remained the prime poll plank for the NDA while the Opposition tried to woo voters with promises to keep the communal forces at bay.

Both seats were in the NDA's fold as Nalanda was represented by Nitish Kumar and Bhagalpur by Sushil Modi. Both vacated their constituencies after becoming Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of the state.

There was hectic campaigning during the past 15 days in both the seats. Besides, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, several senior leaders of both the JD(U) and the BJP campaigned for their candidates in Nalanda and Bhagalpur while Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, accompanied by senior RJD leaders, toured Nalanda in favour of JD(U) rebel candidate constesting independently in Nalanda and for his own party candidate Shakuni Choudhry in Bhagalpur.

Other leaders, including Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, CPI leader D Raha, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechuri and NCP National General Secretary Tariq Anwar addressed public meetings for CPI candidate in Nalanda, Gaya Singh and for CPM candidate in Bhagalpur Subodh Rai

UNI