Mahagathbandhan is leading a 118 over NDA leading in 92 seats as the counting started in the 243-member BIhar Assembly on Tuesday morning. The grand alliance has the upper hand when the first results are released. When the postal vote began counting, it was in 50 of the 76 constituencies. Polling has completed in 38 districts across the state last week. Several exit polls haven given the RJD-led opposition alliance an edge over the ruling NDA, but only the outcome of the counting will decide whether the voters of the state are in favour of the Mahagathbandhan, comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Congress and the Left parties or they have kept their faith in incumbent Nitish Kumar. In the 243-member assembly, a simple majority would require 122 seats. Exit polls suggest majority coalition victory. The Bihar verdict has the national political significance of being the first election to be held during the Covid crisis. The counting of votes started at 8 am in 55 centers in 38 districts following Covid’s guidelines. 19 companies of Central Army have been deployed at the counting centers and 59 companies of Central Forces have been deployed to maintain law and order. The Grand Alliance is confident that the exit poll predictions will be positive. The JDU responded that it would accept the verdict of the people.
