My Columns: Without Fear and Favour

Elections. in India's 1st Elections website Home » Blog » Popular Choices – Who will be the next CM of Bihar? Popular Choices – Who will be the next CM of Bihar? By Deepak Parvatiyar November 7, 2015 With the final leg of polling over and exit polls predicting a cliffhanger, all eyes are on who will form the next government in Bihar. During the grueling five-phased elections, a keen contest was seen between the  Mahagathbandhan – the grand alliance of Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress, or the United Democratic Alliance comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Lok Janshakti Party, the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party and the Hindustani Awam Party (Secular). The third front of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Samata Party-led Samajwadi party comprised the Nationalist Congress Party as well as Rajesh Ranjan’s Jan Adhikar Party (Loktantrik). However, the third front was largely seen to split the votes of the

Elections. in India's 1st Elections website Home » Blog » Summary on the 5th phase of Bihar polls Summary on the 5th phase of Bihar polls By Deepak Parvatiyar November 6, 2015 The fifth and concluding phase of Bihar elections for 57 assembly seats on November 5 saw 60% turnout of voters which was the highest these elections, surpassing the 57.59% voter turnout in the fourth phase of elections. Each of the phases saw over 55% voting except the third phase which saw the lowest turnout at 53.32%. The turnout in the fifth phase was 4.56% more than the last assembly elections and 0.59% more than the last Lok Sabha elections in the region. In all 1,55,36,660 voters turned out to seal the fate of 827 candidates  including 58 women candidates in the ballot box in the last leg of voting in the nine districts nine districts — Araria, Darbhanga, Katihar, Kishanganj, Madhepura, Madhubani, Purnia, Saharsa and Supaul.