Bihar phase II polls: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav among early voters

Patna (Bihar) [India], November 3 : Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, his mother Rabri Devi were among those who turned up early to cast their votes in the second phase of polling in 94 seats spread across 17 districts in Bihar.
Meanwhile, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawans have been deployed in Khagaria, Siwan and Saran districts to help differently-abled voters at polling booths during the second phase of state assembly elections.
It is a triangular contest between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-JD(U), Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) comprising the RJD, Congress and left parties and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) who is contesting against JD(U) and is an ally of BJP at the Centre. Mahagathbandhan is seeking to end the 15-year reign of chief minister Nitish Kumar.
Over 2.86 crore voters are eligible to cast their vote in the second phase which is also the largest of three phases of assembly poll in the state.There are 1,464 candidates in the fray including 46 from BJP, 43 from Janata Dal (United), 56 from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and 24 from Congress.The key candidates include former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad's sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap.

Tejashwi, the chief ministerial candidate of Mahagathbandhan is contesting from Raghopur, while Tej Pratap, who is sitting MLA from Mahua, is contesting from Hasanpur.
"I appeal to the people to take part in this festival of democracy. I am confident people will bring change with the power of their vote," Tejashwi Yadav said.
"There's a wave of change. I am confident the results will be in favour of Luv Sinha and development in Bihar," Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha said
Actor turned politician Shatrughan Sinha's son, Luv Sinha is the Congress candidate from Bankipur, Patna.
Tejashwi Yadav's Mother Rabri Devi also urged people to vote for change. "There is a need for change and development in Bihar," RJD leader said.
Tejashwi's brother Tej Pratap Yadav who is contesting from the Hasanpur seat in the Bihar assembly elections was spotted in an election booth in Samastipur district. He asked the voters to be fearless while voting.
"I want to tell the public that be fearless and go cast your vote. People want Mahagathbandan and Tejashwi as the CM face," Tej Pratap Yadav said.
The RJD leader was confident of winning from the Hasanpur seat. "I will win with a margin of 50,000 from Hasanpur," he added.
Chandrika Rai - father-in-law of RJD's Tej Pratap Yadav and JDU candidate from Parsa casts his vote in Chhapra. "Hollow promises are meaningless. If it was so easy to give 10 lakh govt jobs then everyone would make such promises, but it isn't easy," He said says on RJD's poll promise.
Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar also casts his vote at a government school in Digha while MoS Home and BJP leader Nityanand Rai cast his vote at a polling booth in Karanpura, Hajipur assembly constituency on Tuesday.
"Chirag Paswan stays in Delhi, he isn't aware of ground realities. He wears nice clothes & belongs to 5-star culture. He doesn't know ground realities," said JD(U)'s Parsa candidate Chandrika Rai on Paswan's statement that 'Nitish Kumar won't become CM again'.