PATNA, Nov 14: In a significant turn of events, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) took an early lead in the Bihar Assembly elections, leading in 166 out of 243 seats, according to the Election Commission. This result positions the NDA well above the majority mark of 122 seats, garnering attention as the counting progresses.
The opposition INDIA bloc, however, trails significantly, showing leads in only 59 seats. Election officials noted that these figures may shift as several rounds of counting remain pending. With the current results, the NDA appears set to consolidate its power in Bihar.
Among the NDA constituents, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) currently leads in 72 seats, followed closely by Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] with 71. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) [LJP (RV)] trails with 18 seats, while Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) [HAM(S)] and Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha (RLM) lead in four and one seat, respectively.
In contrast, the INDIA bloc’s performance reflects challenges ahead, with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leading in 43 seats, the Congress in eight, and the Communist Party of India (CPI)-Marxist Liberation in six. The CPI and CPI(M) have made their presence felt with one seat each.
The newly formed Jan Suraaj Party, backed by Prashant Kishor, along with Mukesh Sahani’s VIP, appear to be struggling, as they are trailing in all the constituencies they contested so far.
Key candidates in the election include RJD’s Khesari Lal Yadav, who is trailing in Chhapra, while BJP’s Maithili Thakur takes the lead in Alinagar. RJD’s Osama Shahab leads in Ragunathpur, while JD(U) minister Leshi Singh holds an advantage in Dhamdaha.
Tejashwi Yadav, the Chief Ministerial candidate from the INDIA bloc, maintains a lead in Raghopur. Additionally, the Deputy Chief Ministers, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, are also leading in Tarapur and Lakhisarai, respectively.
In another noteworthy development, Tej Pratap Yadav from the RJD is currently in fourth place in Mahua, with LJP(RV)’s Sanjay Kumar Singh taking the lead.
As the counting unfolds, political analysts and party supporters watch with anticipation. This election could reshape the political landscape in Bihar, setting the tone for future governance in the state.
