NDA Maintains Fair Lead Over MGB As Postal Ballot Counting Continues

While exit polls had projected a comfortable victory for NDA, ongoing vote counting shows the Mahagathbandhan putting up a close and tense fight, making the race increasingly competitive.

Voter turnout in this election was a record-breaking 66.91%, reflecting the high stakes and intense public interest in the outcome.

Source : PTI

As the counting of postal ballots continues in 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is maintaining a steady lead over Mahagathbandhan (MGB). Initial trends show the ruling NDA ahead on 98 seats, while Mahagathbandhan trails with 79 seats, and other parties leading on 6 seats.

While exit polls had projected a comfortable victory for NDA, ongoing vote counting shows the Mahagathbandhan putting up a close and tense fight, making the race increasingly competitive.

Voter turnout in this election was a record-breaking 66.91%, reflecting the high stakes and intense public interest in the outcome. With counting underway for postal ballots, attention now shifts to how these votes may influence the final tally and potentially alter the trajectory of several closely contested seats.

As the day progresses, all eyes remain on the counting centers, with the political landscape of Bihar poised for decisive results that will determine the state’s government for the next term.

Jan Suraaj Party Outperforming Exit Polls

Early trends from postal ballots suggest that Prashant Kishor (PK) and his Jan Suraaj Party may be performing better than what most exit polls had predicted.

While major exit polls projected a largely bipolar contest between NDA and INDIA bloc, the first postal ballot rounds indicate that PK’s candidates are securing a notable share of early votes in several constituencies.

Election officials emphasise that postal ballots often reflect the preferences of service voters, senior citizens, and election-duty staff, categories that tend to vote early and sometimes differently from the general electorate.

Sources on the ground say that in multiple seats across West Champaran, East Champaran, Saran, and Seemanchal, Jan Suraaj candidates have shown “unexpectedly competitive numbers” in the postal ballot count. Although these figures are preliminary and can shift significantly once EVM votes are tallied, they have injected a sense of unpredictability into a race many believed was largely settled by exit polls.

Political analysts caution that postal ballots alone cannot determine the final outcome. However, they also note that stronger-than-expected early numbers for PK could signal voter traction that opinion surveys may have missed, especially among youth, first-time voters, and communities disillusioned with established parties.

With full counting set to intensify through the day, all eyes will be on whether PK’s early momentum holds once EVM trends begin to firm up. For now, postal ballots indicate one thing clearly: Prashant Kishor is not out of the game just yet.