Bihar Exit Polls: Tejashwi Yadav of MGB leads CM race in Axis My India survey despite NDA landslide prediction

Bihar Exit Polls: Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is the most preferred chief minister of Bihar, according to exit poll results released by Axis My India on Wednesday, 12 November.

Yadav, the chief ministerial candidate of the Mahagathbandhan (MGB), received the support of 34 per cent of respondents, significantly higher than that of the incumbent chief minister, Nitish Kumar, who garnered the support of 22 per cent of respondents, according to the survey.

This is despite most exit polls, including those by Axis My India, predicting a clean sweep for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Bihar elections.

Any candidate of the BJP is in third place with 14 per cent respondents supporting the choice, followed by others with 12 per cent respondents/ Chirag Paswan has got the support of 5 per cent respondents, while Prashant Kishor of Jan Suraaj Party received support of 4 per cent respondents in the Axis My India survey.

Most of the exit polls released on Tuesday predicted that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would win the Bihar Elections 2025, defeating the Mahagathbandhan or INDIA bloc, comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, primarily in the two-phase elections.

The NDA is expected to secure between 133 and 167 seats in the 243-member House, according to exit poll results. The majority mark in the Bihar assembly stands at 122.

The Mahagathbandhan, or the Grand Alliance comprising the RJD, the Congress, and the Left, is projected to win anywhere between 73 and 102 seats, according to the exit polls. Debutant Jan Suraaj Party led by Prashant Kishor is projected to secure 0-5 seats.

Remember, Exit Poll results have proven wrong most of the time. The actual results of the Bihar elections will be declared on 14 November.

Bihar on Tuesday witnessed a record-breaking turnout of nearly 69 per cent in the second and final phase of assembly polls, wrapping up a nearly month-long exercise that saw the ruling NDA defend its "sushasan" pitch against the opposition's onslaught, promising "change".

In the two-phase election, the ruling NDA sought re-election, banking on the 20-year rule of Nitish Kumar in the state and the 11-year rule of the PM Modi government at the Centre. The opposition Mahagathbandhan sought votes on anti-incumbency, misgovernance and job promises.