Bihar assembly elections have turned into a personality clash between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
While most political pundits predicted that caste would be the over-riding factor, the Bihar assembly elections have turned into a personality clash between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Local factors like choice of candidates and issues affecting constituencies appear to have taken a backseat for people as they prepare to cast their votes on October 12 in the first phase of the assembly election.
"Nitishe hain (It's Nitish)," says Bhumika Prasad, a shopkeeper in Munger constituency, arguing that he remains the best bet for Bihar.
The first round during last year's general election went to the BJP with Mr Kumar's Janata Dal (United) relegated to number three position in the state. This time the chief minister has tied up with Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress to put up a spirited, tactical fight in the assembly elections.
With the state BJP leaders being kept out of the focus of its high-powered campaign, the saffron party is depending on PM Modi's fire power to propel the National Democratic Alliance ahead of the grand alliance led by Mr Kumar.
An interaction with a cross-section of people in different parts of the state suggests that PM Modi remains a big draw but what is also unmistakable is the goodwill Nitish enjoys, more so among the poor.
"Modi ji is drawing the kind of crowds which no national leader has done in Bihar in a long time. He has his own style. People also appreciate the work done by Nitish ji," Ramkant Pathak, a college teacher, says.
To counter PM Modi's popularity, Mr Kumar has stayed away from the caste pitch and is turning the election into a referendum on his work.
"Bihar will be run by a Bihari not bahri (outsider)," is Nitish' catchphrase in his rallies as he reminds people that it is not Modi who will rule Bihar if NDA is voted to power but a local and there is no Bihari having better credentials than him.
49 of Bihar's 243 constituencies will vote in the first phase of the five-stage Bihar polls. The 10 districts going to polls in this phase include Bhagalpur, Munger, Samastipur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Nawada and Jamui.