Tejashwi Yadav’s government is coming, says RJD as Bihar vote count begins

New Delhi: As counting begins for the Bihar Assembly elections, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari has voiced strong confidence in the Mahagathbandhan’s prospects, declaring that the state is on the brink of a new government led by Tejashwi Yadav.

“The time Bihar was waiting for has arrived. We will succeed, I am fully confident. Whatever predictions have been made, today the results will be in our favour. The Nitish government is bidding farewell, its time is over, and the new government of the Mahagathbandhan under Tejashwi Yadav is coming…,” Tiwari told IANS, asserting that the electorate has voted decisively for change.

Echoing the optimism, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) spokesperson Dev Jyoti said the Mahagathbandhan would take a clear lead by mid-morning. “All the poor people, all the labourers, the labour class, the lower-income group, and all those who follow Ambedkar’s ideology, their government is coming… By around 10, 10.30 or by 11 a.m., you will see the Mahagathbandhan forming the government,” he said.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made extensive arrangements for the counting process across all 243 Assembly constituencies. A total of 4,372 counting tables have been set up, each staffed by a supervisor, assistant, and micro-observer. Additionally, 243 Returning Officers and an equal number of Counting Observers will oversee the process, alongside over 18,000 counting agents.

Counting began at 8.00 a.m. with postal ballots, followed by Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) counting from 8.30 a.m. Postal ballots must be fully counted before the penultimate round of EVM counting.

EVM control units will be verified for seal and serial numbers as per Form 17C. In case of discrepancies, VVPAT slips from the concerned polling station will be counted. Furthermore, five random polling stations per constituency will undergo VVPAT verification after EVM counting concludes.

Results will be announced round-wise and constituency-wise by the respective Returning Officers.

The ECI has urged the public and media to rely exclusively on its official results portal for verified updates, warning against misinformation from unofficial sources.

(Inputs from IANS)