High voter turnout shows people want change, says Prashant Kishor; NDA credits Nitish governance

New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) The first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections witnessed an impressive voter turnout, drawing reactions from across the political spectrum. While Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor described the high turnout as a sign of change, the ruling NDA attributed it to the people’s trust in the governance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Reacting to the voter response, Prashant Kishor, who has been campaigning under his Jan Suraaj Yatra, said: “The biggest success of Jan Suraaj is that people now have an alternative. The compulsion of voting for Nitish-BJP out of fear of the BJP has come to an end. People are excited because they see a new option, a new path, and that is why there has been such a large voter turnout.”

Kishor said the historic participation reflected a shift in public sentiment, indicating that voters were eager for change and no longer bound by traditional political loyalties.

Meanwhile, JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan hailed the record polling numbers as a positive sign for the ruling alliance.

“This is unprecedented voting, and it has ensured that we will achieve even better results than 2010. The successful leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has transformed Bihar,” he said.

From the BJP, spokesperson Ravi Tripathi emphasised the growing political participation of women, calling it a direct result of government empowerment schemes.

“The impact of the government’s work is clearly visible in the way women have turned out to vote in large numbers. Across all 18 districts and 121 Assembly constituencies, women stood in lines from morning till evening to cast their votes,” he said.

“Through this massive voter turnout, they have shown that they want to keep this government in power. Because it guarantees their safety, employment, and development,” he added.

Officials from the Election Commission said polling in the first phase took place peacefully across all constituencies. The next phase will be conducted on November 11, with counting scheduled on November 14.

--IANS

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