Bihar Legislative Council Polls Begin as Three-Way Contest

The Election Commission of India has announced biennial Legislative Council elections for Graduates' and Teachers' constituencies across Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. In Bihar, eight seats are being contested across the Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut, Kosi, and Saran constituencies. Campaigning ended on October 21, with polling scheduled for October 23 and vote counting on October 27.

Prashant Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, has framed the election as a mechanism for voters to check the current political establishment. He stated that while the polls will not change the state government or the opposition leadership, they allow people to "rein in the existing system in Bihar with their votes."

The race has evolved into a three-way battle between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Opposition Mahagathbandhan, and the Jan Suraaj Party. A total of 150 candidates are competing for the seats. High-profile contests include the Patna Graduate seat, where incumbent Janata Dal-United leader Neeraj Kumar is seeking a fourth term, and the Darbhanga Graduate seat, where the Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded incumbent Sarvesh Kumar. The process involves 532,847 eligible voters across 933 polling stations and is expected to conclude by October 31.