New Delhi [India], May 23 (ANI): Paschim Champaran is one of the most crucial 40 Lok Sabha constituencies of Bihar which will witness a contest between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Dr Sanjay Jaiswal and Congress nominee Madan Mohan Tiwari in the sixth phase of the general elections set to be held on May 25. The date of counting and announcement of results is June 4.

Jaiswal has won the seat thrice since 2009 and is set to contest for a fourth term, which is a stronghold of the BJP. BJP here is bolstered tremendously by the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, which ensures 5 kg of ration for poor households every month. This scheme is being described as a game-changer in Champaran, giving a significant boost to the BJP.

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Dominated by Muslims, Baniya, Brahmins and Luv-Kush (Kurmi & Kushwaha), this constituency is situated in northern Bihar adjacent to the Nepal border and is part of the Champaran region within the Tirhut division of Bihar.

Based on the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission of India constituted in 2002, the constituency came into existence in 2008. Consequently, Valmiki Nagar and Paschim Champaran became separate seats.

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In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP's Dr Sanjay Jaiswal registered victory by securing 603706 votes. Rashtriya Lok Samta Party candidate Brijesh Kumar Kushwaha lost the election by a margin of 293906 votes as he managed to get a total of 309800 votes.

Congress candidate Madan Mohan Tiwari backed by RJD under the ambit of the INDIA bloc is a former MLA from the Bettiah constituency who registered victory against former deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Renu Devi in 2015. However, in 2020 he could not manage to win and lost the seat to Renu Devi.

The constituency has historically favoured the BJP. Jaiswal's position solidified over time as he continued to secure a large percentage of the vote share. In 2009, he registered victory with a vote share of 38.6 per cent, in 2014 it was enhanced to 44.2 per cent and in 2019 it further increased to 59.6 per cent.

While the Modi government's welfare schemes are popular with women, the RJD's jobs pitch has gained traction among the youth. Meanwhile, the question remains how much pull does the Bihar CM Nitish Kumar still wield?

A major factor in Bihar politics for well over two decades, Nitish has taken a hit following his repeated flip-flops. Across the state, voters criticised the Bihar CM and JD(U) chief over his political decision-making.

However, Nitish Kumar has built a base among women voters, with his schemes - bicycle scheme and fee waiver, etc.

For BJP, schemes such as free rations are the most popular among women from Dalit and Extremely Backward Class (EBC) communities.

RJD leader, Tejashwi Yadav's campaign pitch has centred around the jobs created during his party's recent tenure in government -- over 4 lakh jobs during the party's 17-month stint in the government. According to him, especially the youth are voting for the RJD.

The elections in Bihar are contested in all seven phases from April 19 to June 1. With 40 Lok Sabha constituencies, the fourth highest among all States and Union Territories, Bihar holds a crucial position in shaping Indian politics.

RJD from the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), the opposition coalition in Bihar, is contesting 26 out of the state's 40 Lok Sabha seats.

As part of the NDA, the BJP and JD (U) are contesting for 17 and 16 seats, respectively. (ANI)

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