Patna, October 22 (). Bakhri (SC) assembly constituency of Begusarai district is again in the headlines amid Bihar elections. Situated on the banks of the Gandak River, this area is known for its dense population and agriculture-based economy. With a density of 1,928 people per square kilometre, the area is a major market center for the surrounding villages.
Bakhri’s sandy-loamy soil is fertile for the cultivation of paddy, wheat, maize and pulses, while milk production is an important source of income. Small scale industries also promote local employment. The constituency is located at a distance of 30 km from Begusarai, 40 km from Khagaria and 60 km from Samastipur, while at a distance of 130 km from the capital Patna.
According to the Election Commission data of 2024, the total population of the area is 4,82,993, of which males are 2,51,140 and females are 2,31,853. A total of 2,94,726 names are registered in the voter list, of which male voters are 1,54,307 and female voters are 1,40,410, while there are 9 third gender voters.
Since this area is reserved for SC, Dalit voters (about 20-25 percent) have special importance. Flood control, irrigation and employment are major issues in this rural-dominated region (about 85 percent). Floods of the Gandak River destroy crops every year, leading to increased migration.
Politically, Bakhri is an assembly constituency established in 1951, consisting of seven Begusarai Lok Sabha constituencies, Cheriya Bariyarpur, Bachhwara, Teghra, Matihani, Sahebpur Kamal, Begusarai and Bakhri. With the delimitation of 2008, it became SC reserved. The area includes Bakhri, Dandari, Garhpura blocks along with Pasraha (East), Navkothi, Hasanpurbagar, Rajkpur, Vishnupur, Samsa and Dafarpur gram panchayats of Navkothi block.
So far 17 elections have been held here, where leftist parties have dominated. The Communist Party of India (CPI) won 11 times, including a streak of eight consecutive from 1967 to 1995. Congress got three victories in 1952, 1957 and 1962. In 2000, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) broke CPI’s winning streak, but CPI made a comeback in both the 2005 elections.
At the same time, in 2010, BJP won for the first time, while in 2015, RJD was the winner. In 2020, the Grand Alliance handed over the seat to CPI, whose candidate Manoj Kumar defeated the BJP candidate by 777 votes.
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SCH/ABM