‘Bihar ka matlab Nitish Kumar’: New hoarding emerges near CM's residence in Patna as NDA leads

Bihar Assembly Election Results: With vote counting currently underway, a hoarding flashing the message “Bihar Ka Matlab Nitish Kumar” was spotted near the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence in Patna.

According to the latest trends from the Election Commission, the NDA is leading on 185 seats, while JD(U) is ahead on 81 seats.

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The majority mark in the Bihar Assembly is 122 seats. Bihar voted in two phases – on 6 and 11 November- and recorded one of its highest voter turnouts in the state's history.

The Bihar Assembly Election Results, which would be declared today (Friday), will decide the fate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP); the Mahagathbandhan or INDIA bloc, comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress; Prashant Kishore's Jan Suraaj Party (JSP); and other contestants.

What do ECI numbers say?

According to the Election Commission of India's numbers, the BJP is leading on 82 seats, while the JD(U) is ahead on 75 seats. The RJD is ahead on 43 seats as per ECI numbers. The Congress is ahead on nine seats.

The ruling NDA sought re-election, banking on the two-decade-long rule of Nitish Kumar in the state and the 11-year rule of the Modi government at the Centre. Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan or INDIA bloc sought votes on the basis of anti-incumbency, misgovernance, and job promises.

What did exit polls predict?

Most pollsters forecast a clean sweep for the NDA, leaving the Mahagathbandhan or INDIA bloc trailing.

Exit polls are conducted immediately after voters leave polling stations. Researchers from various agencies or media organisations ask voters who they chose, compiling data across a representative sample of constituencies. This information is then analysed to predict possible results before the official counting begins.

One pollster, however, stood out among the surveys released on Tuesday. A survey by local news portal Journo Mirror predicted that the Mahagathbandhan (INDIA bloc) would win the Bihar Assembly Elections.

Sharing the survey on its Instagram handle, Journo Mirror predicted that the Mahagathbandhan or INDIA bloc would win 130-140 seats.