PATNA, Nov 14: The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has taken a significant lead in the Bihar Assembly election counting, currently commanding 166 seats, surpassing the majority mark of 122 seats, according to the latest data from the Election Commission.
The opposition alliance, known as the INDIA bloc, remains far behind in the early trends, leading in only 59 of the total 243 seats. Officials confirmed that these figures may change as several rounds of counting are still pending, keeping the final outcome uncertain.
Within the NDA coalition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leads in 72 seats, while Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) follows closely with 71 seats. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has claimed 18 seats, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) holds four, and the Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha (RLM) leads in one seat.
On the other side, the INDIA bloc comprises key players like the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which is ahead in 43 seats, followed by the Congress party with eight seats. The CPI(ML)-Liberation showed leads in six, while the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) each managed to secure leads in one seat.
Notably, the Jan Suraaj Party led by Prashant Kishor and Mukesh Sahani’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) are trailing in all constituencies they contested, raising questions about their political strategies in this high-stakes election.
Among well-known candidates, the RJD’s Khesari Lal Yadav faced challenges, trailing in Chhapra, while BJP’s Maithili Thakur demonstrated strength by leading in Alinagar. Osama Shahab of the RJD notably led in Ragunathpur, and JD(U) minister Leshi Singh maintained a lead in Dhamdaha.
Furthermore, Tejashwi Yadav, the Chief Ministerial candidate for the INDIA bloc, held onto a lead in Raghopur, signaling his stronghold in his constituency. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary (Tarapur) and Vijay Kumar Sinha (Lakhisarai) also displayed leadership in their respective areas.
In a surprising turn in Mahua, Tej Pratap Yadav found himself in fourth place, with Sanjay Kumar Singh of the LJP(RV) taking the lead. This unexpected result highlights the unpredictability of voter sentiment across the state.
The election results, still fluid, promise to impact Bihar’s political landscape for years to come. Both alliances have invested heavily in their campaigns, and the final verdict could shape their strategies ahead of the next electoral cycle. As the counting continues, political observers and party cadres remain on high alert for further shifts in these early trends.
