Counting for the Assembly elections began in Bihar on Friday under tight security, in a high-stakes three-pronged poll that saw the ruling NDA, led by JD(U) and BJP, take on the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.
The Bihar Assembly Election voting took place in two phases, on November 6 and November 11.
While the anticipation is sky high in both camps, the odds are stacked against the Mahagathbandhan, with exit polls predicting the return of Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister of the state for a record fifth term. The excitement is palpable in the JD(U) camp, as evident from the post on X: “Just a few hours to wait, the government of good governance is returning once again.”
The RJD has rubbished all exit poll predictions, and has expressed confidence of repeating the 1995 elections, which saw Lalu Prasad Yadav, heading an undivided Janata Dal, storm to power. "We are with the hopes and expectations of Bihar. The State is heading towards a change. Everything will be clear after noon. Change, under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav and Mahagathbandhan," RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha told reporters on Thursday, adding that “Exit Polls are a game of capital, a game of market, a game of 'Shehen-Shah”'.
This time, the state is witnessing a three-pronged fight with Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party making its electoral debut. While the leader hopes to emerge as a political force in the country, exit polls aren’t giving him a favourable verdict. Multiple ones predict that Kishor would draw a blank
RJD threat
Meanwhile, the RJD has alleged that there could be rigging in the election results and has warned that there could be “a situation similar to Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka” if authorities were found to be committing fraud. The INDIA bloc has also voiced apprehension of a "conspiracy" during the counting of votes .
"We know that people have decided to oust the NDA government. We know that officials are getting directions from those who are sitting in Delhi. We suspect that counting may be delayed. But our people are alert. And we are winning with a comfortable margin. We expect that the ECI will ensure impartial counting," RJD chief Tejashwi told reporters on Thursday.