Vote to make India a world leader: BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain after getting finger inked
Supaul: Senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain on Tuesday urged people to come out in numbers and vote to give more strength to the country in its journey to become a world leader.
Speaking to media persons after casting his vote in the ongoing third phase of polling for the 18th Lok Sabha, Shahnawaz said, "Polling for the third phase is ongoing and I have cast my vote. Pehle matdaan phir jalpaan (break bread after casting your vote). Your votes will give more strength to our country as it bids to become a developed nation and a world leader. I urge people across the country to come out in big numbers and vote."
The Supaul Lok Sabha constituency, which had long been considered a stronghold of socialist leaders, is set for a keen contest this time as the RJD has put up a candidate here for the first time since the 1998 Lok Sabha elections against sitting MP and JDU leader Dileshwar Kamait.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has reposed faith in the sitting MP to win a fresh term while the RJD has fielded Chandrahas Chaupal, its MLA from the Singheshwar (SC) constituency.
Supaul is among the five Lok Sabha constituencies of Bihar where voting is underway in Phase 3 of the general elections. The remaining four seats that are polling in the ongoing polls are Araria, Madhepura, Khagaria and Jhanjharpur.
Significantly, the Supaul district, which borders Nepal, was sealed for 72 hours, from Monday evening, before polling for the third phase began on Tuesday, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) informed.
"The Supaul district administration directed us to seal the Indo-Nepal border area for 72 hours to ensure that polling goes off peacefully. However, while the sealing of the district will remain in effect, essential services wouldn't be affected and the movement of ambulances won't be barred," JK Sharma, action commandant officer, 45th battalion of SSB in Birpur, Bihar, told ANI.
Polling for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state is being conducted across all seven phases.
In 2019, the BJP-led NDA swept the state, winning 39 out of 40 seats, while the Congress won just a lone seat. The RJD fared even worse as it failed to open its account.
