The verdict is out and the people of Bihar have decided. After a long political battle between the BJP and the Grand Alliance, the latter has won and Nitish Kumar is likely to be elected as the state's chief minister for the third time in a row.
After days of speculation, the face-off between the NDA (BJP, LJP, HAM) and the Grand alliance (JDU, RJD, Congress) for Bihar’s Assembly of 243 seats has ended. The JDU-led grand alliance comfortably crossed the simple majority mark of 122.
While the BJP could only bag 53 seats, Nitish Kumar's JDU bagged 71 seats while Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD bagged 80. At present, the Grand Alliance is leading in 178 seats, the NDA with 57 and the six left parties together won two seats. The Third Front drew a blank.
Former Nitish loyalist who held the CM’s post for a short period, CM Jitan Ram Majhi’s HAM did not do too well and got just one seats while Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM did not get even a single one.
The voter-turnout for the elections was considered high at 56.8% and was a politically important one as Bihar has 16 Rajya Sabha seats and BJP does not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha.
Though initial figures looked like it would sway in the BJP led NDA alliance, things soon started looking better for the Grand Alliance and they were headed for a clear win by 11:30 am.
Many prominent figures have congratulated the Alliance for its victory. Critics have called BJP's loss a direct failure for Modi and the party's top brass as they campaigned personally with Modi addressing a score of rallies himself.