Lok Sabha elections: Key constituencies and how parties stand in Bihar

NEW DELHI: The upcoming Lok Sabha elections will be a seven phased affair in Bihar. The state has 40 Lok Sabha seats.
Major constituencies in Bihar include Begusarai, known as Leningrad of Bihar, Patna Sahib, Patliputra, Munger, Banka, Darbhanga, Nalanda, Siwan, Madhepura, Saran, Chapra, West Champaran, Hajipur and Jamui.
There are six reserved seats in Bihar namely Jamui, Gaya, Sasaram, Samastipur, Hajipur and Gopaljang.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) won only four seats and the Congress two. The JD-U, which contested separately, won two seats.
The BJP-led NDA won 31 seats, with the former's tally being 22.
The seven phased election in Bihar will start on April 11, the second phase will be on April 11, third on April 18, fourth on April 29, fifth on May 6, sixth on May 12 and seventh phase on May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

The major contest in the state is between two alliances, BJP led NDA and RJD led Mahagathbandhan.
According to the NDA seat-sharing formula, the BJP and the JD(U) will contest 17 seats each, while the remaining six would be fought by the LJP.
The opposition Mahagathbandhan on Friday also announced its seat-sharing formula in the state, half of which will be fought by the RJD and nine by the Congress.
New entrants to the Grnad Alliance Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) and Mukesh Sahni's Vikasheel Insan Party (VIP) will field candidates on five and three seats respectively. Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) has been given three seats.
Election Commission had announced the poll notification on March 11.