Patna, Sep 25 (IANS) With the Bihar Assembly polls only weeks away, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as incharge of its election for the state.

In a letter issued by Arun Singh, BJP’s National General Secretary and headquarters in-charge, the party also named Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya as deputy incharges.

The appointments were made at the direction of BJP National President J.P. Nadda.

Sources said the three leaders will soon visit Patna to hold key strategy meetings with state BJP leaders and organisational officials.

The Bihar Assembly, which has 243 seats, is heading for a high-stakes contest between the ruling NDA — led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar — and the Opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance).

Both alliances have intensified campaigning even before the formal election announcement.

According to Election Commission sources, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is likely to visit Bihar shortly, and the poll schedule is expected to be announced around October 6.

In preparation, the Commission has ordered the transfer and posting of officers involved in election duties to be completed before the CEC’s visit.

As Bihar heads toward the upcoming Assembly elections, the political atmosphere is heating up even before the Election Commission announces the poll dates.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who led the NDA to victory in the 2020 Assembly elections, faces a stiff challenge this time from the RJD-Congress-led INDIA Bloc.

Both alliances have launched aggressive public outreach campaigns across the state, with rallies, yatras, and constituency-level meetings gaining pace.

The war of words between the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA Bloc is also intensifying, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle for Bihar’s 243 seats.

Political observers say that with unemployment, development, and caste-based representation dominating the discourse, this election promises a razor-sharp contest between Nitish Kumar’s NDA and Tejashwi Yadav-led RJD-Congress alliance.

–IANS

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