Election Commission of India on Friday announced that the Bihar Assembly elections will be held in three phases with polling to take place on October 28, and November 3 and 7, and the counting of votes to take place on November 10.
The Assembly elections for 243 seats in Bihar are due in October-November and the tenure of the current Assembly is scheduled to end on November 29.
After the dates were declared, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said if Bihar does not have enough issues, Mumbai can parcel some. Raut's jibe came in the backdrop of allegations that the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput is being used as an election issue in Bihar.
"Elections in Bihar should be fought on the issues of development, law and order, and good governance, but if these issues have exhausted, then issues from Mumbai can be sent as parcel," the Shiv Sena leader said.
Bihar and Maharashtra police are engaged in a war over the investigation into the death of Rajput who was found dead on June 14 at his Mumbai residence. Former Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey accused Maharashtra Police of not co-operating with them. It is also being speculated that Pandey may join politics after he took a VRS.
Raut also hinted that the Shiv Sena may contest in the Bihar polls. "Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will take a call on Shiv Sena contesting the Bihar elections in coming 2-3 days. The election in Bihar is held on caste and other things. Labour laws or farmers bills will not be an issue in Bihar elections," he said on Friday.