Patna, Nov 14 (IANS) Osama Shahab, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) nominee and son of former Siwan MP and ‘Bahubali’ (strongman) Mohammad Shahabuddin, has taken an early lead from the Raghunathpur Assembly constituency, according to initial figures released by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

As per the ECI update at 1.00 p.m., Osama is ahead with more than 32,000 votes, maintaining a lead of 9,236 votes over JD(U) candidate Vikash Kumar Singh.

This marks the first Bihar Assembly election since the death of Mohammad Shahabuddin, the controversial gangster-turned-politician who was convicted in several criminal cases, including a double murder, and passed away in 2021 due to Covid-19 complications.

Shahabuddin, who served four terms in the Lok Sabha, was barred from contesting elections following his conviction, yet his political influence remained synonymous with Siwan.

During the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, his wife, Heena Shahab, contested as an Independent from Siwan after being denied an RJD ticket, but she was defeated by JD(U) candidate Vijaylakshmi Devi.

Subsequently, both Heena and Osama joined the RJD ahead of the Assembly elections.

The ruling NDA had sharply criticised the RJD for fielding Osama, alleging that the party was “encouraging criminals” in Bihar’s politics and accusing it of attempting to “bring back jungle raj” in the state.

Meanwhile, the NDA is currently leading in 196 seats, with the Mahagathbandhan following at 40.

The counting process for all 243 Assembly seats commenced at 8 a.m., beginning with the scrutiny of postal ballots. This was followed by the counting of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) votes from 8.30 a.m., taking place under extensive multi-tier security arrangements across the state.

Candidates from both alliances expressed confidence in their performance. Leaders from the NDA asserted that the people of Bihar had reposed faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantees and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s work toward the state’s development.

The Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD, claimed that Bihar had “voted for change” and expressed optimism that Tejashwi Yadav would form the next government.

The election witnessed participation from more than 70 crore voters who cast their ballots to decide the fate of both the ruling NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. The polling was held in two phases, on November 6 and 11.

In the outgoing Assembly, the NDA holds 131 seats, comprising BJP’s 80, JD(U)’s 45, four of HAM(S) and two Independents. The Opposition bloc has 111 seats, with the RJD holding 77, Congress 19, CPI(ML) 11, CPI(M) two and CPI two.

–IANS

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