SPECULATIONS AND PREDICTIONS ON BIHAR ASSEMBLY POLLS  Will Nitish Return, or will the State Assembly be ‘hung’? That’s the question. Polling is  over in Bihar  and the predictions have started. State BJP president CP Thakur  says the NDA will win about 170 of the total 243 seats in the Bihar assembly elections and form the government once again under Nitish Kumar. “The increase in the polling percentage reflected the people’s acknowledgment of the developmental work under the NDA during the past five years,” he told reporters in Patna. The people, Thakur said,... 

Preparations for Vote counting in Gopalganj As the final phases of the Great battle for Bihar draw to a close, officuals are concentrating on ensuring the smooth vote-enumeration and declaration of results. Deputy Electoral Officer Naushad Alam has directed that the counting of votes for all six assembly constituencies of the Gopalganj district shall take place from 8 AM on November 24. The psotal votes shall be counted first.  The district election officer and his team are putting the final touch to the preparations, according to an official release. DEO Naushad Alam has directed that... 

Election Roundup In Bihar,election fever in the state is in full swing. The campaigning comes to an end on Sunday. The fifth phase of elections will be held in 35 assembly constituencies on November 9. Out of 35 of these, 12 constituencies are naxal-infested. Stalwarts of different political parties including Senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Adwani, JD ( U) President Sharad Yadav, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, LJP President Ram Vilash Paswan, State congress chief Mehboob ALI Qaiser and left leaders addressed a series of election meetings in different parts of the constituencies . According to... 

Action packed Battle for Bihar Patna: Maoists triggered a land mine blast to scare away voters even as 10 million electorate cast ballots in Bihar’s fourth phase polling for 42 Assembly constituencies and the by-poll for Banka Lok Sabha seat on Monday. Director General of Police Neelmani said the extremists had detonated the land mine near a bridge on the Chakai-Jamui main road in Betia jungle and lobbed four powerful bombs near booth No.56 and 57 at Danapur, but there had been no report of casualty in any of the incidents.  The ultras made quick retreat immediately after the security... 

Round up Bihar’s top cop has voting hassles Director general of police (police training) Abhyanand today faced embarrassment when he was denied permission to vote as his name did not figure on the voter’s list, media sources reported. “I really felt embarrassed,” Abhyanand told reporters after being disallowed to cast his vote at a booth at Patel Nagar under Digha assembly constituency in Patna. Abhyanand said when he along with his family members with EPICs went to the booth, they discovered that their names had been deleted from the voter’s list. “It... 

This time, ‘progress’ not ‘protection’ is the Mantra As the capital of Bihar goes to the polls, in what is known as the fourth phase of the Assembly elections, it is clear where the sentiments of most of the electors from the middle class lie, cutting across caste or religion. In the Digha assembly constituency, where there is a sizeable Christian population indications are that the vote will be for ‘progress and development’, rather than ‘protection by secular parties’. Recalling how following the Kandhamal  riots, provocative handbills in Hindi appeared... 

The Congress is contesting from all 42 constituencies while the BSP is in the fray from 40 seats. The CPI-ML (L) is contesting 15 seats, CPI (13) and CPI-M (six). While JD(U) is contesting from 25 seats, ally BJP is contesting in the remaining 17. RJD has fielded candidates in 26 and ally LJP in 16. Prominent contestants include BJP stalwarts and ministers Ashwini Kumar Choubey (Bhagalpur), Nand Kishore Yadav (Patna Sahib), Ramnarayan Mandal (Banka), besides JD(U) minister Damodar Raut. Senior IAS officer Afzal Amanullah’s wife Parveen Amanullah is contesting on a JD(U) ticket from... 

Sonia accuses Nitish for joining hands with ‘Communal forces’ Sonia attacks Nitish again... Bhagalpur: The UPA chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi who is actively campaigning in Bihar for the ongoing Bihar Assembly polls seems to have nothing much to say. She is chanting the old “mantras” in all her Election meetings blaming the Nitish Government to have failed in utilizing the fund provided by the centre. A lot has been said on this issue and the people of Bihar find this a stale story. While addressing a public meeting in Bhagalpur she blamed the state government to have failed... 

Voting for Third Phase tomorrow Bihar is all set to vote for third phase tomorrow. Tight security arrangements have been made to stop any disturbance in, voting security arrangements include air surveillance, armed forces, patrolling party and also webcasting of sensitive constituencies to keep on a tab. Altogether 1,03,76,022 voters, including 47,71,171 female voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 48 constituencies spread over six districts of Gopalganj, Siwan, Vaishali, Saran, East Champaran and West Champaran. The fate of 785 candidates, including 65 women, would be sealed... 

Nitish says Bangla status will improve PATNA: The Bihar Bengali Association is all praise for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s promise to raise the status of Bengali as a language in the state. The JD(U) manifesto has explicitly mentioned that if the party is voted back to power, ‘Bangla’ as a medium of instruction would be introduced in more state government schools and more teachers who can teach in the language appointed. The manifesto says that migrant Bengalis, especially those settled in north Bihar, would be given all the facilities and benefits enjoyed by members of Other Backward...