NEW DELHI: Some exit polls on Saturday predicted a thumping victory for the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) comprising Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Congress and the Left parties, dislodging the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government with more than two-third majority in the 243-member Bihar Assembly.
According to the CNN News 18-Today’s Chanakya and the India Today-Axis My India exit poll predictions, the Mahagathbandhan is set to dislodge the NDA government with clear majority. The CNN News 18-Today’s Chanakya predicted that the Grand Alliance is likely to win 180 out of 243 seats while the NDA may get 55 seats.
It predicted that the others may get 4 to 12 seats in the Bihar elections. The majority mark in Bihar Assembly is 122. According to India Today-Axis My India poll predictions, Tejashwi Yadav is set to dislodge Nitish Kumar from power as the Mahagathbandhan is likely to win 139-161 seats.
It said that Nitish Kumar-led NDA will be limited to 69-91 seats, while the LJP is projected to win 3 to 5 seats, and others may win 6 to 8 seats in the state.
However, according to TV9 Bhatvarsh exit poll, the Mahagathbandhan is liely to win 115 to 125 seats, while the NDA is likely to bag 110 to 120 seats and the LJP may win 3 to 5 seats. It also said that others may win 10-15 seats in the state.
Republic-Jan ki Baat exit poll predicted that Mahagathbandhan may win 118 to 138 seats while the NDA likely to win 91-117 seats and others 3 to 6. It predicted that the LJP may win 5 to 8 seats in the state. The third and last phase of voting concluded on Saturday at 6 p.m. The first phase of voting took place on October 28 and the second phase on November 3. Counting of votes for the 243-member House will take place on November 10.
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.