Patna: As Bihar prepares to vote in the first phase of its 2025 assembly elections on Thursday, political leaders turned to religious rituals on Wednesday, seeking blessings before the crucial polls.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President J.P. Nadda visited the Mahavir Temple near Patna Junction, where he offered prayers to Lord Hanuman and performed the traditional aarti. He also conducted Rudrabhishek of the temple’s Shiva idol, invoking blessings for the state and the nation.
मनोजवं मारुततुल्यवेगं जितेन्द्रियं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठम्।
वातात्मजं वानरयूथमुख्यं श्रीरामदूतम् शरणं प्रपद्ये।आज जनसभाओं से पूर्व पटना में विश्व प्रसिद्ध प्राचीन महावीर मंदिर में पूजा-अर्चना व दर्शन कर आशीर्वाद प्राप्त किया।
संकट मोचन श्री हनुमान जी से देशवासियों के सुख, समृद्धि… pic.twitter.com/cV0OPcFDUm
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) November 5, 2025
The BJP delegation included MP Shambhavi Chaudhary, Legislative Councilor Sanjay Mayukh, Anil Kumar Sharma, and party youth leader Manish Kumar Singh. Bihar State Religious Trust Board Chairman and former Legislative Councilor Prof. Ranbir Nandan, along with Sayan Kunal of the Hanuman Temple Trust Committee, welcomed Nadda with flowers, ceremonial offerings, and traditional garments.
Earlier, Nadda paid tribute to the late Acharya Kishore Kunal, former secretary of the Mahavir Temple, by garlanding his statue and offering prayers.
The polling experience in Bihar has also been designed to reflect the state’s cultural heritage. Forty-nine “model booths” have been set up across the district, decorated with local art and culture, and equipped with amenities including selfie points and entertainment facilities to make voting a festive occasion.
District Election Officer Dr. Thiyagarajan SM said that special arrangements were in place at 607 of the district’s 5,677 polling stations, including 14 booths for voters with disabilities, three youth booths, and 541 dedicated women’s polling stations.
“These model booths are not just for decoration,” Dr. Thiyagarajan noted. “They are designed to convey that voting rights must be exercised with respect and dignity, and to ensure that every voter feels valued in a democratic process.”
