The political landscape of Bihar is buzzing with activity as the state gears up for upcoming assembly elections. Several key leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are making frequent visits. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also actively campaigning to garner support from voters. His visit to Sitamarhi on Friday centers around the Janaki Temple’s redevelopment. This trip strategically targets the 49 seats within the Tirhut division.
Shah’s schedule includes stops in Darbhanga and Punauradham, Sitamarhi district. He will lay the foundation stone for the Janaki Temple project, which will cost over ₹882.87 crore. This location is significant as the believed birthplace of Goddess Sita. The event will be graced by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other Union Ministers. The temple complex, sprawling across 67 acres, is expected to be completed within 11 months, mirroring the design of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra in Ayodhya. Punauradham is situated approximately 5 km west of the Sitamarhi district headquarters.
The Tirhut division, also known as the Tirhut Commissionerate, comprises six districts: Muzaffarpur (headquarters), Sitamarhi, West Champaran (Bettiah), East Champaran (Motihari), Vaishali (Hajipur), and Sheohar. This region encompasses 49 assembly seats. Prime Minister Modi visited East Champaran on July 18th. The BJP and the NDA consider this a strong base. Amit Shah aims to replicate or improve the 2020 election results.
The NDA has a solid presence in Muzaffarpur, winning 6 out of 11 seats. Currently, the NDA holds these 6 seats. In 2020, Musafir Paswan from VIP, who contested with the NDA, won the Bochahan seat, but after his demise, his son joined RJD and won the 2022 by-election.
West Champaran has been a BJP stronghold. In 2020, the NDA won 8 of the 9 seats. The BJP won 7 seats, and its ally, JDU, won one. The RJD-led Mahagathbandhan managed to win only one seat, which was secured by CPI-ML in Sikta.
East Champaran saw the NDA secure 9 of the 12 seats. BJP won 8 seats, JDU secured one, and RJD won 3 seats.
Vaishali, a crucial district in Bihar politics, is considered a stronghold of Lalu Yadav. There are 8 assembly seats, split evenly with 4 seats each for the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. The BJP won 3 NDA seats, while RJD won 3, and its ally, Congress, won one.
Tejashwi Yadav, an RJD leader and potential Chief Minister, won the 2020 election from the Raghopur seat. 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 taking 4. RJD won 2 seats. In Sheohar, the Mahagathbandhan won the single seat in 2020, but the winning candidate, Chetan Anand, later joined JDU, transferring the seat to the NDA.
The NDA has demonstrated strength in this division. In 2020, BJP fielded candidates in 110 seats, winning 74. This positioned BJP as the second-largest party. JDU experienced a decline, dropping to 43 seats. The NDA’s Chief Minister was Nitish Kumar. BJP’s 27 seats from the Tirhut division were critical. Out of 49 seats, the BJP-led NDA won 33, with BJP winning 27 alone. This division is therefore crucial for the BJP.