As the Bihar assembly elections draw closer, political rallies and visits are intensifying. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other prominent leaders have been frequently touring the state. Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent visit to Bihar highlights the ongoing efforts to sway voters. His focus is on Sitamarhi, where he will lay the foundation for the Janaki Temple redevelopment project. This visit strategically aims to influence the outcome in the 49 constituencies within the Tirhut division.
Shah’s itinerary includes a visit to Darbhanga followed by a trip to Punauradham in Sitamarhi district. Here, he will initiate the Janaki Temple redevelopment project, valued at over ₹882.87 crore. This location is considered the birthplace of Goddess Sita. The ceremony will be attended by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and various Union Ministers. The expansive temple complex, spanning 67 acres, is expected to be completed within 11 months. Its design is inspired by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra in Ayodhya. Punauradham is situated approximately 5 kilometers west of the Sitamarhi district headquarters.
The Tirhut division, also known as Tirhut Commissionerate, encompasses six districts: Muzaffarpur (headquarters), Sitamarhi, West Champaran (Bettiah), East Champaran (Motihari), Vaishali (Hajipur), and Sheohar, with a total of 49 assembly seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously visited East Champaran on July 18th. This division is viewed as a strong base for the BJP and the NDA. Amit Shah’s objective is to either match or improve upon the NDA’s performance in the 2020 elections.
In Muzaffarpur district, the NDA holds significant influence, winning 6 of the 11 seats. The NDA currently retains these 6 seats. In 2020, the Bochahan seat was won by Musafir Paswan of the VIP, who contested with the NDA, but his son later joined the RJD and won the 2022 by-election.
West Champaran has consistently been a BJP stronghold, and in the 2020 elections, the NDA won 8 of the 9 seats. The BJP secured 7 seats, while its ally, the JDU, won one. The RJD-led Mahagathbandhan managed to win only one seat, which was secured by the CPI-ML from Sikta.
East Champaran saw the NDA winning 9 out of the 12 seats. Within these, the BJP won 8 seats, the JDU won one, and the RJD secured victory in 3 seats.
Vaishali district is a significant political arena in Bihar, known for its Yadav-dominated population and considered a stronghold for Lalu Yadav. It has 8 assembly seats, with the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan each holding 4 seats. The BJP won 3 seats within the NDA’s share, the RJD also won 3, and its ally, the Congress, won one seat.
Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD leader and potential Chief Minister candidate, secured the Raghopur seat in the 2020 election and aims for a hat-trick of wins. His parents, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi, have also won from this seat.
Sitamarhi, the birthplace of Goddess Sita, has 8 assembly seats. The NDA won 6 seats, with the BJP alone winning 4. The RJD secured 2 seats. In Sheohar, the Mahagathbandhan won the single seat in the 2020 election, but the winning candidate later switched to the JDU, thus shifting the seat to the NDA.
The NDA has a strong presence in this division. In the 2020 elections, the BJP fielded candidates in 110 seats and won 74, positioning it as the second-largest party in the assembly. The JDU experienced a decline, dropping to 43 seats. The NDA government was led by Nitish Kumar. The BJP’s success in the Tirhut division played a crucial role, with 27 seats coming from this region. The BJP-led NDA secured 33 out of the 49 seats, and the BJP alone won 27. This makes this division of high importance for the BJP.
