Bihar Lok Sabha elections 2024: Key constituencies and candidates in first phase

A file photo of Home Minister Amit Shah with LJP chief Chirag Paswan.

With just three days left until the start of the first phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, scheduled for April 19, the world's largest democracy stands at a critical juncture. Citizens are poised to exercise their electoral rights, determining the nation's leadership for the forthcoming five years. Bihar's 40 Lok Sabha seats underscore its pivotal role throughout all stages of the elections, reaching a climax with the vote count slated for June 4. In the primary phase, Bihar emerges as a critical battleground hosting electoral contests across four constituencies—Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, and Nawada—on April 19. The outcomes of these battles will ultimately seal the fate of 38 candidates vying for victory.

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In this electoral contest, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated candidates for the Aurangabad and Nawada constituencies, while the Gaya (reserved) seat has been allocated to the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S), an ally of the BJP. The Jamui seat has been retained for the Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas (LJP-RV), known for its historical stronghold in the region.

Aurangabad

In the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat, the upper-caste Rajputs hold significant influence, alongside a sizable population of Other Backward Class (OBC) and Extremely Backward Class (EBC) voters.

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With a total electorate of 18 lakhs, Aurangabad's demographics comprise 25 percent from the general category, 20 percent OBCs, over 23 percent EBCs, 20 percent Scheduled Castes (SC), and 10 percent Muslims. Notably, Rajputs represent over 70 percent of the general category voters, according to reports.

Three-time MP from Aurangabad, Sushil Kumar Singh, is facing off against the opposition's mahagathbandhan candidate and newcomer, Abhay Kushwaha, who is contesting on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) RJD ticket.

Kushwaha earlier served as a JD(U) MLA from the Tekari Assembly constituency in 2015 but has since joined the RJD and secured the party’s nomination to run in the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat.

Gaya 

Famed for the Buddhist pilgrimage site of Bodh Gaya, the Gaya Lok Sabha constituency draws considerable tourism. Furthermore, Gaya carries profound significance for Hindus, who conduct ancestral rites in the area. A predominant issue in this constituency pertains to enduring water scarcity, particularly during the summer season.

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Scheduled Castes (SC) constitute over 30 percent of the electorate in the Gaya Lok Sabha constituency.

From the Gaya (reserved) seat, HAM(S)‘s Jitan Ram Manjhi is contesting as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate against the mahagathbandhan’s Kumar Sarvajeet of the RJD.

Manjhi, 79, a former chief minister of Bihar, is vying for victory from the Gaya seat for the fourth time, while Sarvajeet, 49, serves as the RJD’s incumbent MLA from Bodh Gaya and has earlier held positions as state agriculture and tourism minister.

Jamui

Jamui has a substantial electorate of more than 17 lakh voters, with nearly 2.5 lakh belonging to the EBC category, alongside an equivalent number from the OBC communities such as Yadav, Koeri, Kurmi, and Dhanuk.

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The constituency covers three districts: Munger, Jamui, and Sheikhpura, and is divided into six Assembly segments: Tarapur, Sheikhpura, Sikandra, Jamui, Jhajha, and Chakai. Notably, there are approximately 1.5 lakh Muslim voters distributed across these segments.

From the Jamui (reserved) seat, LJP-RV chief Paswan has nominated his brother-in-law, Arun Bharti, as the candidate, pitted against the mahagathbandhan's candidate, Archana Ravidas of the RJD. Ravidas, wife of local RJD leader Mukesh Yadav, is contesting the Lok Sabha election for the first time.

Nawada

Nawada is a Lok Sabha constituency encompassing the entire Nawada district and parts of Sheikhpura district. It comprises six assembly seats: Barbigha, Rajauli (SC), Hisua, Nawada, Gobindpur, and Warsaliganj.

The caste-based demographics of the Nawada constituency are dominated by Bhumihar, Yadav, Kushwaha, Vaishya, as well as Dalit, EBC, and OBC communities. Bhumihars account for nearly 22-25 percent of the vote bank, while Kushwaha voters constitute around two to five percent.

In Nawada, BJP's Vivek Thakur faces a notable challenge, competing against Shrawan Kushwaha, the OBC candidate of the mahagathbandhan, alongside independent contenders Vinod Yadav and Bhojpuri singer Gunjan Singh.