PATNA, Nov. 5 -- Darbhanga was a high-scoring district for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2020 polls when it bagged 9 out of 10 seats here. Five years later, the NDA aims to repeat the performance. High prospects in Darbhanga, the NDA hopes, will rub off on other pockets in the Mithilanchal region. The NDA has on its platter many projects, achieved or in pipeline, to showcase before the electorate -- the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), new Darbhanga airport terminal, flood management projects, expressway, proposed metro and a slew of pre-election incentives for women and above all, as locals put it, a clear strategy against the opponents. Like in 2020, the fight on most seats is again a direct one between the NDA and the RJD-led opposition Mahagathbandhan, though the presence of the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), AIMIM and some rebels has also added some extra contours to the contest. "From 5-kg ration to Rs.1,100 pension, Rs.10,000 to women and promise of Rs.3,000 hike in Kisan Samman Yojana . these all have considerable impact, as you delve deep. RJD's 'Mai Bahin Yojana' also finds echo, but not beyond their respective areas of strength. I feel sorry why Darbhanga has not been able to make foray into the growing IT sector to create thousands of employments like other states, but we can only keep fingers crossed," said Uma Shankar Thakur, who was working from home and was with a Pune-based IT firm, at Benipur, which is closer to three Assembly seats. Bipin Kumar Jha, who studies at Bhopal, said that there was migration not just for livelihood, but also for education. "Bihar's own institutions have only deteriorated and without knowledge and skill, the job market will remain elusive for those who just hold paper degrees. Those who have the skills and knowledge work anywhere, but Bihar leaders never had the vision. Here elections are won on equations and that way NDA again seems to have the edge. Here politics has no meaning beyond winning elections for decades," he added. One of the seats that drew attention in Darbhanga is Alinagar, from where BJP has fielded folk singer Maithili Thakur, who initially faced resistance from within the party but has been gradually accepted by the cadre after the party leadership threw its weight behind her. RJD has again fielded local Binod Mishra, who had lost to VIP's Misri Lal Yadav last time and is trying to make the contest 'insider vs outsider'. JSP's Biplav Choudhary has made it an all-Brahmin contest, though the seat was once the bastion of RJD's Abdul Bari Siddiqui due to the presence of significant population of Muslims, Yadavs and Paswan, apart from Brahmins and Rajputs. In the neighbouring Benipur seat, Brahmin candidates always held sway in the past. Last time winner JD(U)'s Vinay Kumar Choudhary is again locked in a contest with Mithilesh Kumar Choudhary of the Congress, though Amresh Kumar Amar of the JSP and several independents and other smaller parties are there to alter the equation. On Kushwshwarsthan seat, with the nomination of VIP candidate rejected, JD(U)'s Atirek Kumar may find it easy, while in Gaura Bauram BJP's Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sujit Kumar, husband of Sitting MLA Swarna Singh, hopes to cash in on the opposition confusion due to candidates from both VIP and RJD in the fray. Swarna had in 2020 won on a VIP ticket it later switched over to the BJP. Though RJD expelled Afzal Ali Khan from the party on Monday, locals say confusing signals had already done the damage to VIP candidate Santosh Sahni, brother of VIP chief Mukesh Sahni. Sensing the writing on the wall, Mukesh Sahni announced on Tuesday that his brother would withdraw, but doing it so late would mean his symbol would be there in the EVM to create more confusion. Afzal, who lost by just 7,000 votes last time, has good backing of Muslims constituting around 25% of the population and he has been branding Santosh as an 'outsider' to expose the fissures within the Opposition and make it difficult for Mukesh Sahni, who was himself interested in contesting from there at one stage. However, Jan Suraaj's Dr Iftekhar Alam is also a popular local and has the potential to secure good votes, while Akhtar Shahanshaa of the AIMIM is also in fray to alter the equation. In Hayaghat, after the defeat of RJD's Bhola Yadav, the party gave the seat to CPI-M, which has fielded Dalit leader Shyam Bharti, who faces BJP's sitting candidate Ramchandra Prasad. JSP has fielded a local Pratibha Singh. RJD has shifted Lalu Prasad's aide Bhola Yadav to Bahadurpur, where he faces Bihar minister Madan Sahni. Sahni had won the seat in 2020. This time, JSP, BSP and other candidates are also in the fray, but the real contest is said to be direct. In Keoti BJP's Murari Mohan Jha is trying to retain his seat he won against RJD's veteran Abdul Bari Siddiqui in 2020. He faces former Keoti MLA Faraz Fatmi, son of former Union minister Md Ali Ashraf Fatmi. Both had joined JD-U in 2019 and again returned to the RJD fold in 2024. JSP is trying to make it triangular with a new option. On Jale seat, RJD's Rishi Mishra got the Congress symbol on the last day of nomination to face BJP minister Jivesh Kumar, who had defeated Congress Mashkoor Ahmad Usmani in 2020. Usmani, a doctor and former president of the Aligarh Muslim University Students' Union, is again in fray as independent after being expelled from the Congress and is said to have the potential to create hurdles for the RJD. AIMIM's Faisal Rehman is also in the fray and is claiming to be in direct fight with the BJP. There are also independents and candidates from other parties to make it dicey for big players. On Darbhanga seat, Bihar minister Sanjay Saraogi has been winning since 2010 and is trying for his fourth term. For JSP, former DG Rakesh Mishra is in fray with new vibes and it remains to be seen how people take him. Opposition's candidate is Umesh Sahni of the BJP. Plurals' Party Pushpam Priya Choudhary is also trying to fight on local issues. Bihar will vote in two phases on November 6 and 11....