Patna, Nov 6 : In the “highest ever” voter turnout in Bihar, nearly 65 per cent of 3.75 crore electorates exercised their franchise on Thursday across 121 constituencies in the first phase of the assembly elections, which marks the beginning of a closely watched high-stakes contest that is seen as a litmus test of the ruling NDA’s popularity.

In a statement, the Election Commission said the first phase of the assembly elections concluded peacefully “in

a festive mood with the highest-ever voter turnout of 64.66 per cent in the history of Bihar”.

The NDA, which has been in power in the state for 20 years, except for a few brief interruptions, is banking on its image of “sushasan” (good governance) in contrast to the alleged “jungle raj” of the RJD-Congress combine, while the opposition b

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