Tejashwi, Giriraj, Samrat Choudhary among top politicians to cast vote in 1st phase of Bihar polls

Senior politicians, including Bihar Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, INDIA bloc's CM candidate Tejashwi Yadav, VIP chief Mukesh Sahani, and Union ministers Giriraj Singh and Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' were among those who cast their votes in the first few hours of voting in the phase one of assembly elections in the state on Thursday.

A total of 13.13 per cent of 3.75 crore voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling till 9 am, an official said.

Saharsa recorded the highest polling percentage so far at 15.27, followed by Begusarai (14.6) and Muzaffarpur (14.38).

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who left Patna for his hometown Bakhtiarpur to cast his vote, posted on X, "Voting is not only a right but also a duty of citizens in democracy."

Polling for 121 seats in 18 districts of Bihar is underway amid tight security arrangements.

Choudhary, who voted in Tarapur, said, "The work done by Nitish Kumar should continue. A lot of effort has gone into the transformation we are witnessing today. Vote for development."

Giriraj Singh, who cast his vote in Lakhisarai, defended the checking of the identity of burqa-clad women, stating it will prevent 'vote chori' (vote theft).

"This is not religious bias... We are not living in Pakistan. Neither will Bihar have a Tejashwi Yadav government, nor will Sharia law be implemented here," he said.

Tejashwi Yadav, along with his family members, including RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, cast his vote at a booth in Veterinary College in Patna.

"I appeal to the youth to bring a change by installing a new government," Tejashwi Yadav said.

His mother and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, too, appealed to people "to vote and bring a change". She wished both her sons, Tejashwi and Tej Pratap, success in the elections.

Tejashwi Yadav's sister Rohini Acharya exuded confidence that people will defeat the "double-engine government" this time.

"All people of Bihar should vote. Each vote is important," Tej Pratap, the Janshakti Janata Dal president and elder son of Lalu Prasad, said after casting vote at Veterinary College Ground polling booth in Patna.

Tej Pratap, the incumbent Hasanpur MLA, is contesting from Mahua, a seat he first won in 2015 during his electoral debut on an RJD ticket.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and BJP MP Nityanand Rai also urged Bihar's voters to exercise their franchise.

"Voting is a vital part of democracy and the great festival of democracy is celebrated through voting. Bihar is the birthplace of democracy, and in every grain of its soil, resides the spirit and devotion toward democracy," he said.

"Today marks the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections, and people are voting enthusiastically. I urge the electorate of Bihar to come out and vote," he added.

BJP MP and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad exuded confidence that the NDA would return to power in Bihar.

"The people of Bihar will vote in large numbers in both phases. The NDA will comfortably form the government. I am proud of the voters and the people of the state," he said.

Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani, who is also the INDIA bloc's deputy CM candidate, cast his vote at Gaura Bauram with his family.

"This is Nitish Kumar's last election so he can make whatever promises he wishes. But we have a vision for Bihar... we are here to serve the people for a long term ahead, so, we have made our promises very responsibly," he said.

Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha appealed to people to set aside all other work and cast their votes.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, 'pehle matdaan, fir jalpaan', meaning that on the day of polling, we should prioritise voting over everything else," Kushwaha told reporters after casting his vote in Vaishali.

State Road Construction Minister Nitin Nabin, who voted along with his wife Deepmala Srivastava at a polling booth in Patna's Digha assembly segment, urged people to exercise their franchise for a developed Bihar.

Singer-turned-politician, RJD's Khesari Lal Yadav, also exercised his franchise at Ekma in Saran district, while BJP leader Bikhu Bhai Dalsania also cast his vote in the early hours.

A politician in Vaishali went to the booth riding a buffalo, while urging people also to cast their votes.

Voting began at 7 am for 121 seats amid tight security arrangements, an official said, adding it will continue till 5 pm.

In the first phase, a total of 3.75 crore voters will decide the electoral fate of 1,314 candidates, including top leaders such as Tejashwi Yadav and Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary of the BJP.