2019 Lok Sabha Election Result for Begusarai, Bihar: BJP's Giriraj Singh schools Kanhaiya Kumar in high-profile electoral contest

One of the most keenly watched Lok Sabha constituency in the Hindi-heartland state of Bihar, Begusarai went to polls in the fifth phase of 2019 elections on April 29. Begusarai was locked in a triangular contest between former JNU Students' Union president and CPI candidate Kanhaiya Kumar, sitting MP from Nawada and BJP candidate Union Minister Giriraj Singh and RJD’s Tanweer Hassan.

In the prestige battle the three candidates, BJP's Union Minister Giriraj Singh has won the Begusarai Lok Sabha seat by winning 68,7577 votes and a vote margin of 34.45 percent against CPIM candidate Kanhaiya Kumar, who secured the second position in the constituency with 26,7917 votes (22.03% vote-share). RJD's Tanweer Hassan, at the third spot, won 19,6800 votes (16.17 percent). 

2019 Election Campaign trail

In his debut electoral battle, the 32-year-old CPI candidate has been the hot topic in the political discourse. With the hold on the seat declining over the years during the Lok Sabha elections, CPI banked on the grand appeal of Kanhaiya Kumar in the constituency to revive it.

During the last leg of campaigning, Begusarai witnessed a well-known people vouching for Kanhaiya Kumar, and campaigning for him in the constituency. From Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker, actor-turned-politician Prakash Raj to Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani, several like-minded people arrived in Bihar to campaign for him.

"We need a voice like Kanhaiya in the Parliament. He will represent people's voice. This is why I have come to Begusarai to campaign for him," Prakash wrote on his Twitter.

2019 Lok Sabha Elections | This Is The Reason Why Bihar's Begusarai Is Called Leningrad Of The East

Historical trends:

While CPI wanted RJD to back its candidate in 2019, seeing the popularity of Hassan, RJD decided to contest from the seat again instead of supporting CPI. RJD re-elected its 2014 Lok Sabha candidate Tanweer Hassan who had won 3.69 lakh votes in the previous elections.

Known as the Leningrad of Bihar, Begusarai was won by BJP's Bhola Singh in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, but fell vacant with his death in 2018. In 2014, BJP’s leader Bhola Singh had defeated RJD candidate Tanveer Hassan by a margin of 58 thousand votes.

Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency comprises of following Vidhan Sabha (legislative assembly) segments: Cheria Bariarpur, Bachhwara, Teghra, Matihani, Sahebpur Kamal, Begusarai, Bakhri.

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