Barari (Bihar) [India], November 10 (ANI): In the second phase of the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, Barari constituency in the Katihar district of the Seemanchal region is set to witness a quadrangular contest as the sitting Janata Dal (United) MLA Bijay Singh is looking to defend his seat against Congress, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and debutant Jan Suraaj.

Barari MLA Bijay Singh, an Extreme Backward Class leader who also heads JD(U) EBC Cell, is contesting against Congress' National Secretary and ex-NSUI leader at JNU, Tauquir Alam, AIMIM's Md Matiur Rahman and Jan Suraaj's Pritam Prasoon.

In the 2020 Assembly elections, Bijay Singh won with a margin of 10,438 votes (5.8 per cent) against RJD then MLA Neeraj Kumar. He won 81,752 votes (45.6 per cent) in 1,79,199 votes. In 2015, Kumar had won the seat with a margin of 8.7 per cent votes, while the constituency went to the BJP's Bibhasha Chandra Chaudhary with a margin of 19.9 per cent votes. Chaudhary, contesting from Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in 2020, could muster just 7,920 votes.

While 53-year-old Bijay Singh will look to consolidate the EBC votes in the constituency, Congress and AIMIM have fielded Muslim candidates, looking at the Muslim population in the Seemanchal region.

According to Singh's affidavit, he has no pending criminal cases against him. He holds movable assets worth Rs 44,84,626 and immovable assets worth Rs 25,00,000 at market value.

On the other hand, Tauquir Alam has three pending cases against him, two of which pertain to public protests. He holds movable assets worth Rs 19,32,735 and immovable assets worth Rs 12,25,000 at market value.

Alam, as an NSUI leader, has contested and lost the JNU Student Union Presidential election. In the last polls, the Congress candidate contested from the Pranpur seat in Katihar, where he lost by a margin of 2,972 votes (1.5 per cent) to the BJP's Nisha Singh.

He is looking to turn his fortune this time, and Congress is backing him for the victory with MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rajesh Ranjan aka Pappu Yadav holding election rallies to appeal for him.

AIMIM candidate Md Matiur Rahman is looking to make a mark in the elections amid a rigorous campaign by party chief Asaduddin Owaisi in the Seemanchal region. Owaisi has been targeting Mahagathbandhan's CM face and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.

Recently, Owaisi accused Tejashwi Yadav of 'demeaning' the entire minority community of Seemanchal by allegedly branding him an 'extremist.'

Addressing a public rally in Katihar, Owaisi said Yadav was behaving like the 'younger brother' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and spreading hatred. He asserted that Yadav's comments would not affect him, claiming that the people of Seemanchal would give the RJD leader a befitting reply.

'Tejashwi has demeaned the entire minority community of Seemanchal... Tejashwi is acting like a younger brother to PM Modi and expressing his hatred... Tejashwi can say whatever he wants... Lalu's son says I am an extremist. His statement makes no difference... The people of Seemanchal will teach him what an extremist is,' Owaisi said.

While Owaisi's attacks have been targeted towards Tejashwi, it is less likely to dent the image of Mahagathbandhan candidate Alam in Barari.

While LJP stood third in Barari in the last elections, Jan Suraaj replaces them as a player this time. Jan Suraaj's candidate, Pritam Prasoon, may cut votes of either of the two camps and may tilt the polls. Maintaining a clean image, he has no pending cases against him and holds total assets worth Rs 7,90,574.

Apart from the caste and Muslim vote base, law and order is another issue in the constituency. The region came into the limelight when BJP leader Vivekanand Prasad alias Bablu Yadav was shot in the TNB Law College Lane under the Barari police station area, last month.

According to residents, the incident occurred when Bablu Yadav was taking a walk outside his house. At this time, Surjikhil resident Suraj Tanti arrived at the spot with his associates and allegedly fired two rounds at him. The BJP leader sustained serious injuries from the gunfire.

The Barari seat will undergo polling on November 11 with 121 other constituencies in Bihar.

The first phase of elections witnessed a historic voter turnout, with polling held in 121 seats across 18 districts on November 6.

The phase 2 seats include 11 assembly seats in East Champaran, 10 each in Madhubani and Gaya, nine in West Champaran, eight in Sitamarhi, and seven each in Bhagalpur, Rohtas, Purnia, and Katihar. Six assembly seats will go to the polls in Araria and Aurangabad each.

Meanwhile, Nawada, Banka, and Supaul will each witness contests on five seats. Kaimur, Jamui, and Kishanganj have four seats each, Jehanabad has three, followed by two assembly seats in Arwal, and one in Sheohar district.

Of these 122 assembly constituencies, the BJP secured a win on 42 seats in the 2020 Bihar assembly elections, while the RJD emerged victorious on 33 seats. The Janata Dal (United) bagged 20 seats, Congress won 11, and Left parties collectively secured five.

The phase will also decide the fate of 12 ministers from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's cabinet. Among them are JD(U) leaders Vijendra Yadav (contesting from Supaul assembly constituency), Lesi Singh (Dhamdaha), Jayant Kushwaha (Amarpur), Sumit Singh (Chakai), Mohammad Jama Khan (Chainpur), and Sheela Mandal (Phoolparas). Key ministers from the BJP in the fray include Prem Kumar (Gaya Town), Renu Devi (Bettiah), Vijay Kumar Mandal (Sikati), Nitish Mishra (Jhanjharpur), Neeraj Bablu (Chhatapur), and Krishnanandan Paswan (Harsiddhi). (ANI)