Bihar Elections: These high-profile ministers in fray for 1st phase; Click here to know

Patna: In Bihar, voting began in the first phase at 45,341 polling stations across 115 assembly constituencies from 7 am to 6 pm. Voting continues at 2,135 polling stations across six assembly constituencies from 7 am to 5 pm. The fate of 16 ministers will be sealed in EVMs today. Let's find out who is contesting against these 16 ministers. Voting percentage in the 2020 Assembly elections (as of 9 am) Sonwarsha 53.73 14.04 Darbhanga (Sadar) 55.79 11.52 Jale 54.14 13.60 Kudhni 64.18 14.51 Sahebganj 59.56 15.86 Bhore 53.98 13.55 Amnour 56.57 13.51 Siwan 54.42 12.56 Kalyanpur 57.93 14.00 Sarairanjan 60.86 13.04 Bachhwara 60.87 14.46 Bihar Sharif 48.51 11.11 Nalanda 54.68 12.61 Bankipur 35.91 5.85 Lakhisarai 52.78 13.39 Tarapur 55.00 15.08 In the Sonvarsha seat of Saharsa district, Sarita Devi of the Congress is contesting against Ratnesh Sada of the JDU. Jan Suraj has also fielded Satyendra Hazra, a retired teacher from the Dusadh caste, on this reserved seat. In Darbhanga (Sadar), Sanjay Sarawagi of the BJP is facing Umesh Sahni of the Vikassheel Insaan Party. He belongs to the same caste as Mukesh Sahni, i.e., a Mallah. Retired Inspector General RK Mishra is contesting from the Jan Suraj. Pushpam Priya Chaudhary of the Plurals Party is also contesting. Fighting internal sabotage is a major challenge. In Jale, Rishi Mishra of the Congress is contesting against Jivesh Kumar of the BJP. He was with the RJD and has taken a Congress ticket at the last minute. Mashkoor Ahmed Rahmani, who was the Congress candidate last time, is contesting as an independent this time. Everything depends on the Muslim vote. Jan Suraj has fielded Ranjeet Sharma, a member of the Lohar caste. In Kudhni, Bablu Kushwaha of the Rashtriya Janata Dal is contesting against Kedar Prasad Gupta of the BJP. Jan Suraj has fielded Mohammad Ali Irfan from this constituency. In Sahibganj, Prithvi Rai of the Rashtriya Janata Dal is contesting against Raju Kumar Singh of the BJP. To harm the BJP, Jan Suraj has fielded Thakur Harikishore Singh of the Rajput caste. In Siwan, the Rashtriya Janata Dal has fielded Awadh Bihari Chaudhary against Mangal Pandey of the BJP. Awadh Bihari Chaudhary was also the Speaker of the Assembly during the Grand Alliance government. Jan Suraj has provided relief to the BJP here. Businessman Intekab Ahmed, a member of the Sheikh community of the Muslim community, the core vote bank of the RJD-Congress, has been fielded. In Lakhisarai, Amresh Kumar Anish of the Congress is contesting against Vijay Kumar Sinha of the BJP. Keeping the BJP's core voters in mind, Jan Suraj has fielded Suraj Kumar, an academic from the Bhumihar caste. In Tarapur, the Rashtriya Janata Dal has fielded Arun Sah against the BJP's Samrat Chaudhary. Jan Suraj is targeting the BJP's core voters in this seat, so it has fielded a Rajput doctor. Dr. Santosh Singh is contesting against Samrat Chaudhary and Arun Sah. In Bhore, Gopalganj, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI-ML) has fielded a candidate against JDU's Sunil Kumar. The CPI-ML has fielded Dhananjay, a Paswan, from Bhore. This seat has become a hot topic after Jan Suraj candidate Preeti Kinnar was fielded here. In Saran's Amanour, the Rashtriya Janata Dal has fielded Sunil Rai against the BJP's Krishna Kumar Mantu. To woo the BJP's core Bhumihar community, Jan Suraj has fielded Rahul Singh. Samastipur The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI-ML) has fielded Ranjit Ram from Kalyanpur against JDU's Maheshwar Hazari. Ram belongs to the Ravidas caste. Jan Suraj has fielded Deputy Mayor Ram Balak Paswan. Arvind Sahni of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is contesting against Vijay Kumar Chaudhary in Sarairanjan. Brahmin Sajjan Mishra has been fielded in Sarairanjan, targeting the BJP's core voters and Vijay Kumar Chaudhary's constituency. Begusarai Awadhesh Rai of the Communist Party of India is contesting against BJP's Surendra Mehta in Bachhwara, Begusarai. Awadhesh Rai belongs to the Yadav caste. Jan Suraj has prepared for trouble for both candidates here. Ramod Kunwar, a former ML leader, from the Bhumihar caste, has been fielded here. Nalanda The Communist Party of India has fielded Shiv Kumar Yadav against the BJP's Dr. Sunil Kumar in Bihar Sharif. Jan Suraj has fielded Dinesh Kumar, a former mayor from the Kushwaha community. In Nalanda, Congress's Kaushalendra Kumar alias Chhote Mukhiya is contesting against JDU's Shravan Kumar. District Council member and Kurmi caste candidate Kumari Poonam Sinha is contesting for Jan Suraj. Patna The Rashtriya Janata Dal has fielded Rekha Gupta against the BJP's Nitin Naveen in Bankipur. This seat was held by the Congress last time. At the last minute, Congress member Rekha Gupta filed her nomination with the RJD. Jan Suraj has fielded Vandana Kumari, a member of the Bhumihar caste, to target the BJP.