The BJP has initiated consultations with its allies regarding the ruling NDA's candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post. Meanwhile, the opposition INDIA bloc is weighing its options and might force a contest to gain political leverage.

According to an official government order, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha have been designated as ministers-in-charge of Patna and Muzaffarpur districts, respectively. Additionally, Sinha will also oversee Bhojpur district.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is gearing up for a crucial meeting of its newly elected Members of Parliament (MPs) tomorrow at the central hall of the Parliament, according to sources. The agenda of the meeting will focus on discussions regarding the formation of the government by the grand alliance.

Patliputra recorded the highest turnout at 40.78 per cent, followed by Karakat (39.53), Buxar (37.79), Sasaram (37.12), Jehanabad (36.66), Arrah (33.07), Nalanda (32.94) and Patna Sahib (29.22) till 1 pm.

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking directions to the Election Commission of India for re-polling in the Munger parliamentary constituency of Bihar. The plea alleged that booth capturing had occurred with the connivance of the local administration.

A voter turnout of 40.48 per cent was recorded in Vaishali, 38.89 per cent in Sheohar, 37.75 per cent in Paschim Champaran, 37.57 per cent in Purvi Champaran, 36.64 per cent in Valmiki Nagar, 34.75 per cent in Maharajganj, 34.65 per cent in Gopalganj and 31.59 per cent in Siwan till 1 pm.

The allusion was to Kumar's infamous use of graphic language inside the assembly last year while trying to explain the correlation between higher literacy rates among women and improved fertility rates.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar didn't mince words when he criticised RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for allegedly taking undue credit for job creation during their shared governance period from August 2022 to January 2024.

Polling started at 7 am in Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur and Banka

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), a BJP ally, has fielded candidates in all the five seats, hoping to hold on to four and wrest Kishanganj from the Congress.

The stage is set for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Bihar with four parliamentary constituencies—Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, and Nawada—scheduled to vote tomorrow, April 19.

In a significant political development, Devendra Prasad Yadav, the national vice president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), resigned from his position and the party on Wednesday.