Bihar Exit Polls: BJP-JDU Set To Retain Power With 145+ Seats, No Prashant Kishor Impact, Shows Poll Of Polls

The poll of exit polls suggests that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is set to retain power in Bihar, whereas the Opposition bloc of Mahagathbandhan is seen as a distant second.

The NDA, co-led by the BJP and JD(U), is poised to win 146 seats, according to an aggregate of eight exit polls released on Tuesday. The survey outcome was released shortly after the conclusion of the second and final phase of the elections.

Going by the exit poll trends, the NDA is set to secure a clear cut mandate, as the halfway-majority mark stands at 122 in the 243-member assembly.

The Mahagathbandhan, which is led by the RJD-Congress combine, is projected to be restricted to 90 seats, according to the poll of exit polls.

Meanwhile, the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) of poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor is expected to win only two constituencies, despite leading a spirited campaign in the state.

The exit polls suggest a boost in the performance of NDA vis-a-vis 2020, when the BJP and JD(U) had cumulatively won 117 seats, and were able to form the government only with support from smaller allies.

On the other hand, the Mahagathbandhan is expected to face a setback if the exit poll outcome holds true on the day of results. The coalition had, in 2020, won 111 seats.

However, the exit polls are based on projections, and final results have often differed from what has been predicted. In 2020, the post-election surveys had largely projected the Mahagathbandhan to sweep the polls, but the NDA ended up retaining power.

The official results will emerge on Friday, when the Election Commission has scheduled the counting of votes.

Notably, the polls in Bihar were held in two phases — on Nov. 6 and Nov. 11. The turnout reached a record high of 64.66% in the first phase, only to be surpassed in the second round when the overall voting crossed 68%, as per the provisional data released by the commission.