Patna: With exit polls having predicted clear victory for RJD-led Grand Alliance, the candidates across the divide are sitting either finger crossed or nail-biting.
It means fate of over 3,700 candidates in race to 243 seats of the state Assembly will be decided in a few hours from now.
Counting is underway amid tight security at 55 locations in 38 districts of the state. Alongside, precautions against covid situation are in place.
The polls saw over 7.30 crore electors voting to choose the next government in the state, in the first major polls following covid pandemic.
Exit polls project a sweeping victory for the Grand Alliance led by RJD, and its chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav coming to power.
Bihar voted for the 243-member Assembly in three phases -- October 28, November 3 and November 7.
The RJD had won 80 seats in the 2015 Assembly polls, while the JD(U) won 71 seats. The BJP had won 53 seats and the LJP managed two seats.
The Bihar election is being seen as a referendum on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose JD(U) is in alliance with the BJP-led NDA. Nitish Kumar has governed Bihar three times in a row since 2005.
"NDA has once again won absolute majority in Bihar Elections 2020",says BJP leader Bhupender Yadav in Patna
"We want to thank PM Narendra Modi & our party president JP Nadda for leading the party in the biggest polls of the country". added Yadav
Having emerged as a senior partner of the NDA in Bihar for the first time in nearly two decades, the BJP finally seems to have come out of the shadow of its allies in the state but new alliance arithmetic has dragged down their overall vote share since the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
As per the latest EC data, the NDA's combined vote share, including that of BJP, JD(U), HAM and VIP, stands at less than 40 per cent.
In comparison, the RJD-led grand opposition alliance has managed around 37 per cent votes
Results declared for 183 seats out of the total 243.
NDA wins 90 seats (BJP 51, JDU 32, VIP 4, HAM 3)
Mahagathbandhan wins 86 seats (RJD 60, Congress 14, Left 12)
AIMIM wins 4; BSP wins 1, & Independent wins 1
The NDA alliance is set to form the government in Bihar as it has won 121 seats and was leading with comfortable margin on four other seats said BJP's Bihar unit president Sanjay Jaiswal on Tuesday. He attributed the alliance's victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
Bihar results show wrong to write-off the Left,We would have won more seats if given, says CPIM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury
"We were clear from the beginning that we have to defeat the BJP. Our strike rate in Bihar is 80 per cent and if we had been given more seats, we would have contributed more to the Gathbandhan tally, added Yechury.
"Our alliance with the RJD and Congress combined issues of social justice with that of economic justice. One cannot be achieved without the other," Yechury told PTI
NDA heads for majority in Bihar elections
Results declared for 165 seats out of the total 243.
NDA wins 83 seats (BJP 47, JDU 29, VIP 4, HAM 3), leading on 39
Mahagathbandhan wins 76 seats (RJD 52, Congress 12, Left 12), ahead on 37
AIMIM wins 4 while leading on 1 and BSP and Independent wins 1 each
Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party wins one seat in Bihar,reports ANI
"Election Commission (EC) has assured us that they will try to address all our grievances. We trust the EC but not district administration"Manoj Jha further added
"There are over dozens of seats where tampering has been done. They are trying to change the people's mandate" govt: reacts RJD leader Manoj Jha after leaving Election Commission Office in Patna.
"Even after all such ill-intended attempts we'll form govt" he added.