The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) appears set for a comfortable victory in the state’s assembly elections, according to Bihar exit polls released after the second phase of voting on Tuesday.
Surveys by multiple agencies have projected a strong showing for the NDA, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The alliance is expected to secure between 130 and 209 seats in the 243-member assembly, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 122.
The opposition Mahagathbandhan, comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and Left parties, is predicted to win 70 to 102 seats, while Prashant Kishor’s newly formed Jan Suraaj Party may manage up to five seats, the polls suggest.
Voting was held in two phases, on November 6 and 11, and recorded Bihar’s highest-ever voter turnout of 66.9%, according to the Election Commission of India. The second phase saw participation rise to 68.7%, surpassing all previous records. Notably, women voters turned out in larger numbers than men, reflecting greater civic participation across the state.
Within the NDA, the BJP and JD(U) contested 101 seats each, while smaller allies, including the Lok Janshakti Party (RV), Hindustani Awam Morcha (S), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha, contested the remaining constituencies. In the Mahagathbandhan, the RJD fielded candidates in 143 seats, the Congress in 61, and Left parties together in 33.
BJP and JD(U) leaders have welcomed the exit poll projections, calling them an endorsement of the state’s development path and the “double-engine” model of governance led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar.
The opposition has dismissed the forecasts, claiming the results will tell a different story. “Exit polls have often been wrong. The real verdict will come from the people on counting day,” said RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.
Vote counting will take place on November 14, starting at 8 a.m. If the predictions hold, the NDA will return to power with a stronger mandate, reinforcing Nitish Kumar’s political standing in Bihar.
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