Neck-And-Neck Battle In Bihar; Mahagathbandhan & NDA Lead In 91 Seats

The near-equal tally underscores the high-voltage contest that analysts had predicted, with several key constituencies witnessing razor-thin margins.

As counting progresses and EVM numbers begin to dominate over postal ballots, the fight for the halfway mark of 122 seats remains wide open.

Source : IANS

In a tightly contested race, early trends from the Bihar Assembly election results show the Mahagathbandhan and the NDA locked in a neck-and-neck battle, with both alliances leading in 91 seats each.

The near-equal tally underscores the high-voltage contest that analysts had predicted, with several key constituencies witnessing razor-thin margins. As counting progresses and EVM numbers begin to dominate over postal ballots, the fight for the halfway mark of 122 seats remains wide open.

More updates are expected as trends stabilise.

Bihar Election Counting

Counting of votes for all 243 assembly constituencies in Bihar began at 8 a.m. on Friday under heavy security, officials confirmed. Postal ballots were taken up first, followed by counting of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) from 8:30 a.m., as per Election Commission guidelines.

The two-phase elections, held on November 6 and 11, are being seen as a decisive test for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the Janata Dal (United) president and Bihar’s longest-serving leader. Political observers say the outcome could also reflect public sentiment toward the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

Counting is taking place at 46 centres across the state’s 38 districts. The Election Commission said over 4,372 counting tables had been set up, each manned by a supervisor, a counting assistant, and a micro-observer. More than 18,000 counting agents representing candidates are overseeing the process.

Bihar witnessed a record turnout of 67.13 per cent, with 7.45 crore eligible voters deciding the fate of 2,616 candidates.