Although Kumar, who is a member of the state legislative council and has been in the seat of power longer than any of his predecessors, is not himself contesting the polls, the BJP-led NDA is banking on `good governance` during his tenure to tackle the anti-incumbency factor

The second phase, in which eight ministers of his cabinet are in the fray, involves high stakes for the ruling NDA, as also the opposition INDIA bloc, which pins its hopes on the incumbency factor, as well as the high concentration of Muslims in many of the poll-bound districts

The second phase is of particular significance for the Congress, a spent force which is, nonetheless, the second largest constituent of the INDIA bloc in Bihar. Of the 19 seats it had won in 2020 assembly polls, 12 go to polls in the current phase. Its sitting MLAs include state president Rajesh Kumar Ram (Kutumba) and Shakeel Ahmed Khan (Kadwa)

Kishanganj district recorded the highest polling percentage so far at 34.74, followed by Gayaji (34.07), and Jamui (33.69)

In the first phase, on November 6, a "record" 65.09 per cent of 3.75 crore electors, across 121 constituencies had cast their vote, which both rival groups claim to be to their advantage

However, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, the proverbial `X factor` in the elections, believes that the spike in voting percentage is due to the fact that people of the state, who had been in search of an "alternative", have found one in his barely a year old outfit

Voting began for 122 constituencies in Bihar in the second and final phase of the high-stakes assembly polls amid tight security arrangements, he said

The polling began at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm

In this phase, the electoral fate of 1,302 candidates, including several ministers in the Nitish Kumar government, will be sealed