New Delhi: Senior BJP leader and Bihar Agriculture Minister Prem Kumar have created controversy after he arrived at the polling booth during the first phase of Bihar elections, wearing a face mask with the BJP party symbol.


According to reports, the political leader who is a candidate from Gaya town came to vote at the Jiradei Baranwal Sadan polling station on Swarajyapuri Road. He wore a yellow colored face mask with a lotus symbol printed on it.

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While talking to ABP News he clarified that the party symbol on his face mask was too small to be seen. He added that it was necessary to wear a face mask for precaution.

As per the Election Commission guidelines, the campaign ended 36-hours before the beginning of the polling. More than two crore voters in Bihar will decide the fate of 1,066 candidates tomorrow across 71 assembly segments in the first phase of elections.

As many as 952 men and 114 women candidates will be trying their luck in the first phase of polling. The maximum number candidates (27) being in the fray is from Gaya Town constituency and the minimum (5) from Katoria in Banka district.

Chief Minister and NDA leader in the state Nitish Kumar's party Janta Dal United (JDU) is contesting in 35 of the 71 seats, followed by its ally Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) on 29 seats, while the opposition RJD has fielded its candidates in 42 and its coalition partner Congress is contesting upon 20 seats.

While, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), headed by Chirag Paswan, is in the fray in 41 seats, which include all the 35 contested by the JDU.