NDA Sweeps Bihar, Crosses 200 Seats; Grand Alliance Reduced to Its Worst Tally Since 2020

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retained power with a massive victory, surging past the 200-seat mark, virtually decimating the opposition Grand Alliance in the Bihar Assembly polls, for which the votes were counted on Friday.

The Congress-RJD-Left Grand Alliance had to face a bitter defeat, and seemed headed to a poor tally of around 40 seats as compared to the 110seats it had won in 2020 assembly polls.

In the 243-seat Bihar Assembly, the National Democratic Alliance spearhead Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looked set to finish with around 90 seats, as it bagged 79 seats, with its candidates ahead in another 10 constituencies at 8-30 PM, according to the Election Commission. The saffron outfit had won 75 seats in the previous election.

The other principal NDA partner in the state, the Janata Dal (United) of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has emerged triumphant in 67 seats with its candidates ahead in 18 more, and could end up with 85 seats if the current trend olds, thereby almost doubling its tally of 43 seats in the 2020 polls.

Among other NDA partners, the Lok Jan Shakti (Ram Vilas) of Chirag Paswan also performed impressively and could end up with 19 seats (16 wins plus three leads), the Hindusthan Awam Morcha (Secular) has got five, while the Rashtriya Lok Morcha seemed on course to win four seats (three victories, one lead).

The GA, which came up with a pathetic show, saw its mainstay the Rashtriya Janata Dal end up with around 25 seats (20 wins and five leads), while the Congress could pick up only half a dozen seats. In the 2020 elections, the RJD and the Congress won 53 and 19 seats, respectively.

Among other GA partners, the CPI-ML(Liberation) won two seats, and the CPI-M got only one.

Of the other parties, the AIMIM secured five seats, while the India Inclusive Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party were ahead in one seat each.

Speaking in New Delhi after the trends became clear, Prime Minister Narendra Modi exulted, "Jungle Raj will now never return to Bihar" as his partymen celebrated in Patna and Delhi.

While Nitish Kumar is likely to emerge as the chief minister despite his party garnering fewer seats than the BJP, the tensions between the two allies are likely to increase as BJP has emerged as the senior partner.

The Jan Suraj Party, formed by political strategist Prashant Kishor with much fanfare, failed to even open its account.

As the counting neared its end, Janata Dal (United) highlighted the role of women voters in the mandate.

The party said the trust of Bihar's women had prevailed, the NDA had emerged victorious, and Bihar as a whole had triumphed. In a post on X, JD(U) shared: "The trust of Bihar's women has triumphed… The NDA has triumphed, Bihar has triumphed. (Jeeta hai Bihar ki mahilao ka vishwaas… jeeta hai NDA, jeeta hai Bihar)."