Giriraj Singh, Kanhaiya Kumar confident of victory in polls

PATNA: The two rivals in high-profile Begusarai parliamentary constituency – Giriraj Singh of BJP and

Kanhaiya

Kumar of CPI – on Monday exuded confidence that they will win the polls.

Kanhaiya said people of Begusarai have voted for dil (heart) and not dal (party). “The BJP put several people behind bars and attacked opponents during these five years. The people of Begusarai know this and this is the reason why they have voted against the communal forces this time,” Kanhaiya said after casting his vote at Masnadpur polling station under Teghra assembly segment in Begusarai.

“A new caravan will start from Begusarai and give a strong message to the nation,” the former JNUSU president said.

BJP’s firebrand leader

Giriraj

Singh, who exercised his franchise at a polling station at

Barahiya

in Lakhisarai district, which falls under Munger

Lok Sabha

constituency, claimed the NDA would win over 400 seats in the country this time. “The ‘tukde-tukde’ gang will be eliminated from the country. My party (BJP) sent me to Begusarai so that nobody can make it Pakistan. It’s my duty to defend my motherland,” he said.

Giriraj, the Union minister of state for micro, small and medium enterprises, said he faced no competition in Begusarai. “People are impressed with the work done by PM Narendra Modi in the last five years,” Giriraj, who offered prayers at a temple before casting his vote, said.

Bihar assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary exercised his franchise at Kyonta village under Ujiarpur constituency and independent MLA Anant Singh at a polling station in Mokama.

Anant’s wife and Congress candidate Neelam Devi, who is contesting from Munger seat, exercised her franchise at a polling station at Nagwan in Barh. Neelam said she was optimistic about her victory.

Neelam is pitted against JD(U) leader and CM Nitish Kumar’s close aide Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh. In 2014, LJP candidate and Surajbhan Singh’s wife Veena Devi had defeated Lalan when the JD(U) fought the Lok Sabha election alone.