Patna: Bihar is bracing for a decisive political day as counting begins after a historic Assembly election that registered the state’s highest turnout since 1951. The two-phase polling, which concluded on November 11, recorded 66.91 percent voter participation. Women voters outpaced men by a significant margin, with 71.6 percent casting their ballots compared to 62.8 percent of male voters.
Around 8.5 lakh polling personnel and 1.4 lakh polling agents handled voting duties for 2,616 candidates. Oversight came from 243 general observers, 38 police observers and 67 expenditure observers. Bihar also hosted 16 international delegates for the first time.
The results will reflect a fierce contest between the JD(U) led NDA and the RJD led Mahagathbandhan. Political strategist-cum-politician Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party has also positioned itself as an alternative, although exit polls broadly suggest it may not make an impact.
Several exit polls point towards an NDA victory, after which RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that pollsters "acted under BJP influence" to pressure Election Commission officials.
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Here are the latest updates:
NDA takes lead as MGB trails behind
Very early leads show the NDA ahead in the first phase of counting. According to India Today, NDA is ahead in 162 seats and the Mahagathbandhan in 77.
Congress says early trends don’t reflect final outcome
Reacting to the Mahagathbandhan falling behind in early numbers, Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru said initial trends are not indicative of the final result. He added that the party expects the voting and counting process to remain “free, fair, and impartial” as the day progresses.
Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha trails in Lakhisarai
In a key setback for the NDA, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha is trailing in Lakhisarai. Congress candidate Amresh Kumar has taken an early lead with 2,852 votes, while Sinha follows closely with 2,773 votes, according to the Election Commission's latest figures.
Baba Giriraj Singh says Bihar rejected “chaos and corruption”
Union Minister Baba Giriraj Singh reacted to the early NDA lead, saying Bihar’s voters had “clearly rejected a government of chaos, corruption, and loot.” He said people chose “peace, justice, and development,” adding that even young voters relied on the experiences of their elders. Singh also mocked Tejashwi Yadav for announcing oath-taking dates without official results, calling it “nothing but foolishness.”
RJD says early trends will shift in Mahagathbandhan’s favour
RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari reacted to the initial trends, saying the contest remains close but the Mahagathbandhan is ahead in several constituencies. He added that the alliance is confident that “within one or two hours it will become clear that the Mahagathbandhan is forming the government in Bihar.”
NDA crosses majority mark in early trends
The NDA has moved past the majority threshold in the initial count, registering 132 leads. The Mahagathbandhan is trailing with 71 seats in early trends, indicating a widening gap as counting progresses.
Tejashwi Yadav takes early lead in Raghopur
Initial counting through postal ballots indicates the NDA holding an early advantage. JD(U) candidate Anant Singh is leading in Mokama, while RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has taken an early lead in Raghopur, as per a report by The Indian Express. In Mahua, RJD rebel Tej Pratap Yadav is trailing in the first round of trends.
JDU says ‘good governance’ set to return as counting begins
As counting commenced, the Janata Dal (United) said Bihar is hours away from the return of a government focused on good governance. The party expressed confidence that voters have endorsed stability.
Counting begins under tight security across all 243 seats
Vote counting has begun across the state, starting with postal ballots. Security has been heightened around all counting centres.
BJP predicts 200 plus seats for NDA
Bihar minister and BJP candidate from Bankipur Nitin Nabin said the NDA was heading for a strong victory. He said, “We are all confident that this time, the NDA seat tally will be near that of the 2010 elections. NDA is going to form the Government… We will get 200 plus seats. They (RJD) are still not able to let go of their mindset of ‘jungle raj’. RJD is the symbol of ‘jungle raj’.”
BJP prepares for celebrations, says Mahagathbandhan will face a setback
BJP spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said the party headquarters in Bihar and Delhi would be in a “festive mood” by noon. He added that voters would “teach the Mahagathbandhan a lesson”, and remarked that India’s Constitution “allows you to daydream”, referring to the alliance’s hopes. Shergill alleged that some RJD leaders had compared Bihar’s prospects to Nepal and said the NDA should remain alert to “violent tactics” from what he termed the “Mahathugbandhan”.
Pappu Yadav accuses BJP of relying on ‘lies, money power, theft’
Independent MP from Purnea Pappu Yadav criticised the BJP ahead of counting. He told ANI that the party “cannot win any elections without lying, money power, theft”. He also alleged that women and young voters had backed the Opposition.
Today’s Chanakya exit poll gives Jan Suraaj a ‘duck’
Today’s Chanakya predicted that the Jan Suraaj Party would fail to open its account. It forecast an NDA win in the range of 148 to 178 seats, with the Mahagathbandhan projected to secure between 66 and 89 seats.
Axis My India survey offers closer contest but still points to NDA win
Axis My India projected an NDA tally of 121 to 141 seats. The Mahagathbandhan was placed in the 98 to 118 range. For Jan Suraaj, the survey offered a possibility of up to two seats.
Matrize predicts decisive NDA victory
The Matrize exit poll projected an NDA win with 147 to 167 seats. It estimated 70 to 90 seats for the Mahagathbandhan and indicated that Jan Suraaj might win up to five seats.
Record turnout sets up decisive verdict for Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav
With 7.45 crore eligible voters, Bihar recorded its most engaged electorate in decades. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, seeking his tenth term, faces his former deputy Tejashwi Yadav, who is attempting to dislodge the NDA and return the RJD to power. Most exit polls favour the NDA, although the Mahagathbandhan has claimed it will outperform projections.
