With 64.66%, Bihar sees record-breaking voter turnout in phase 1, highest in state's history

Bihar Polls

With 64.66% per cent voter turnout in the first phase of Bihar Assembly polls, the state has not only surpassed the figure of 2020, but also bettered the turnout of 2015 , 2010 and 2005. The The figure is already being dubbed as the highest in the history of the state.

Over the past two decades, the state has witnessed dramatic changes in voter behavior, alliance structures, and political loyalty. However, the provisional turnout for the day is awaited.

A combination of factors -- an overt expression for a change in dispensation, heightened political awareness and en masse voting by a particular constituency may have played a crucial role in the higher figures. Top leaders of the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan unequivocally asked the electorate to turn up in record numbers during the two phases of polling.

The fate of several ministers, as well as RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and his estranged brother Tej Pratap, was sealed in the first phase. Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party has been billed as the 'X' factor, adding a bit of intrigue to the high-stakes contest.

This phase is particularly significant for the Opposition Mahagatbandhan, which had secured 63 of these seats in the 2020 election. The ruling BJP and Janata Dal (United) together had won 55. Over two lakh senior citizens aged 85 and above voted in the first phase of the assembly polls, according to the Election Commission.

Did migrants add to the numbers?

Migrant voters, who came home for the Chhath festival, may also be another factor behind the high turnout in the first phase of the Bihar election. The first phase of voting took place after nine days of Chhath, while the second phase will be held after 14 days of the festival.

According to Bihar government data, around 4.6 million people live and work outside the state. These migrant workers, mostly labourers and employees working in factories, construction sites, and offices across India, has being considered a decisive voter bloc. Both the NDA and Mahagathbandhan (opposition grand alliance) had urged migrant workers to "stay back and vote”, portraying it as a duty to ensure a better future for Bihar.

Ahead of the election, the BJP launched a door-to-door campaign aimed at wooing migrant workers to remain in the state long enough to cast their votes. According to reports, the party had focused on these districts with a considerable population of migrant workers- East Champaran (6.14 lakh), Patna (5.68 lakh), Siwan (5.48 lakh), Muzaffarpur (4.31 lakh), and Darbhanga (4.3 lakh).

A quick recap

In 2020, the Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD, had the upper hand, bagging 63 seats to the NDA's 55. It remains to be seen if history repeats itself, as the region, which includes the capital Patna, has more often than not determined the pulse of Bihar politics.

The second phase of Bihar's Assembly elections is scheduled for 11 November, covering 122 constituencies in 20 districts. Counting of votes will take place on 14 November. The contest is primarily between the NDA, led by the BJP, and the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), headed by the RJD.