Bihar polls: Munger constituency to witness four-way electoral battle as BJP seeks to retain unpredictable seat

Munger (Bihar) [India], October 30 (ANI): With just 7 days left for the Bihar polls, Munger assembly constituency in Bihar's Munger district is set to witness an unpredictable four-way electoral contest on November 6.
The Munger constituency is known for its unpredictability, with no single party having dominated the seat in the past. The election outcome will depend on various factors, including caste dynamics, local issues, and the candidates' ability to connect with voters.
Located just a few kilometres off the Ganga coast, Assembly Constituency 165, Munger, has given candidates from multiple political parties a chance to represent them.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Kumar Pranay, Avinash Kumar Vidyarthi has been given an RJD ticket. Jan Suraaj's Sanjay Kumar Singh, a zila parishad member, is looking to make his foray into state politics. Munger is also one of the 25 seats being contested by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), with the party fielding former state minister Monazir Hassan, who has served in both Nitish Kumar's and Lalu Prasad Yadav's cabinets.

The Munger seat seems to be unpredictable, with strong anti-incumbency seen every election cycle.
In 2010, the seat was won by JDU's Anant Kumar Satyarthy; in 2015, RJD's Vijay Kumar 'Vijay' unseated the JDU MLA by a margin of 2.60%. In 2020, the people gave the BJP a chance by electing Pranav Kumar, who won by a mere 0.8% of the vote. However, the most significant victory margin was in 2005, when the JDU candidate won by more than 11%.
The BJP is seeking to retain the seat, which it won in the 2020 Assembly elections by a narrow margin of 1244 votes. The party's prospects are boosted by the alliance with Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), which may draw votes away from the opposition.
The RJD is part of the Mahagathbandhan and is contesting the election on a platform of social justice and development. The party's candidate is expected to benefit from the support of other opposition parties.
Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party has entered the fray, promising good governance and development. The party's presence is likely to fragment the anti-incumbency vote and pose a challenge to both the BJP and the RJD.
Meanwhile, the AIMIM candidate has been a minister in both 2000 and 2005, bringing in valuable experience of working with both sides.
Despite electing representatives from diverse political backgrounds, the Munger constituency still lacks basic amenities such as road connectivity. The area is susceptible to flooding almost every year, with floods coming in August and September. With the area just kilometres from the banks of the Ganga River, people have been demanding better houses at higher elevations to help address climate change.
Caste equations also play a significant role in the area. While the Yadavs and Muslims are mostly known to support the Opposition party, an AIMIM candidate could swing votes in either direction for any party. While the BJP looks to court the Vaishya and Baniya communities, it could also bank on the strong support of the Koeri and Kurmi communities, with the JDU garnering their support for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
In 2020, the constituency had a total of 339048 votes; however, following specific deletions under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the number of voters in the constituency changed.
While Munger will go to the polls in the first phase of the election on November 6, the second phase of the Bihar polls will happen on November 11, and the results will be declared on November 14 (ANI)