Bihar by-polls: 5.08 pc voters turnout recorded till 9 am

Bihar recorded a voter turnout of 5.08 per cent till 9 am in the two Assembly constituencies during the by-elections on Saturday.

According to the election commission, the Kusheshwar Asthan assembly seat in Darbhanga district recorded 6.45 per cent voters turnout while the Tarapur Assembly seat in Munger district recorded 4 per cent voters turnout.

The by-polls in the two assembly seats have become a battle of prestige for the ruling Janata Dal (United) and the main opposition party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav himself campaigned in the Assembly constituencies after he returned to Bihar.

Earlier on Friday, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had accused the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state of pressurising officials to make people vote in the favour of a specific party.

Tejashwi had also alleged that there is a lack of development in the state and said that had there been development, the government would have never needed to "distribute gifts" to people.

In 2020, the ruling coalition, NDA secured a majority with 125-seats in the 243-seat strong Bihar Legislative Assembly of which BJP won 74 seats, Janata Dal (United) on 43 while eight seats were won by two other NDA constituents.

The RJD, on the other hand, emerged as the single-largest party with 75 seats while Congress won only 19 of the 70 seats it had contested.

Meanwhile, by-elections are being held in three parliamentary constituencies and 30 assembly constituencies in different states today.

The counting of votes and announcement of results will be on November 2.

(ANI)