In terms of vote share, the NDA is likely to get 52 per cent of votes against 35 for the 'Mahagathbandhan'. The other parties are likely to get 13 per cent.
The battlefield of Bihar has turned out to be an interesting one with new political equations emerging this time. The opposition, led by the RJD, has formed a 'Mahagathbandhan' with the Congress and other regional parties like the RLSP of former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha and the Hindustani Awam Morch of former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to take on the NDA that is led by the BJP, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JDU, which fought separately in 2014, and Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP.
Among the NDA, the BJP is likely to secure 16 out of the 17 seats it's fighting this time, the JDU may bag 12 and the LJP six. As per the pre-poll agreement, the BJP and the JDU are contesting 17 seats each and the LJP six in the coming general elections. In 2014, the BJP won 22 out of 30 seats it contested while the LJP won six out of the seven seats it was allotted and the RLSP won three out of four seats. The JDU was reduced to winning just two out of 40 seats.
In the UPA camp, the RJD, which is witnessing an internal political wrangling within its ruling family, is pegged to win five seats, while the Congress is set to draw a blank. The RLSP may get one seat. The RJD is contesting in 20 seats, the Congress in nine, the RLSP in five, the HAM in three, and Mukesh Sahni-led Vikasheel Insaan party in three seats. In 2014, the Congress won two seats and the RJD four.
Among the most talked about seats, the BJP will retain Patna Sahib, from where it fielded Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, dropping actor-turned politician Shatrughan Sinha, who turned rebel and is set to join the Congress on April 6. The saffron party is also likely to win the Begusarai seat, from where Union Minister Giriraj Singh is contesting against his CPIM rival and former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar.
Seat-wise break-up
1: Aurangabad- NDA
2: Gaya- NDA
3: Nawada- NDA
4: Jamui- NDA
5: Kishanganj- NDA
6: Bhagalpur- UPA
7: Katihar- NDA
8: Purnea- NDA
9: Jhanjharpur- NDA
10: Banka- UPA
11: Supaul- NDA
12: Madhepura- NDA
13: Khagaria- NDA
14:Darbhanga- NDA
15: Sitamarhi- UPA
16: Ujiarpur- NDA
17: Jehanabad- UPA
18: Samastipur- NDA
19: Begusarai- NDA
20: Madhubani- NDA
21: Muzaffarpur- NDA
22: Saran- NDA
23: Hajipur- NDA
24: Karakat- UPA
25: Munger- NDA
26: Valmikinagar- NDA
27: Araria- UPA
28: West Champaran- NDA
29: East Champaran- NDA
30: Sheohar- NDA
31: Vaishali- NDA
32: Gopalganj- NDA
33: Siwan- NDA
34: Maharajganj- NDA
35: Patna Sahib- NDA
36: Nalanda- NDA
37: Patliputra- NDA
38: Ara- NDA
39: Buxar- NDA
40: Sasaram- NDA
Bihar to vote in all seven phases in 2019 Lok Sabha elections
Elections for Bihar's 40 Lok Sabha seats will be held during all the seven phases, beginning with the first phase on April 11. As per schedule, the four constituencies which will go to polls on April 11 are Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Jamui. Five constituencies - Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnea, Bhagalpur and Banka - will vote on April 18.
While Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Araria, Madhepura and Khagaria will witness polling on April 23, Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai and Munger will go to polls on April 29. Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Saran and Hajipur will vote on May 6.
Voting will take place in eight constituencies of Valmikinagar, West Champaran, East Champaran, Sheohar, Vaishali, Gopalganj, Siwan and Maharajganj in the sixth phase on May 12. Patna Saheb, Nalanda, Patliputra, Ara, Buxar, Sasaram, Jehanbad and Karakat will vote in the seventh and final phase on May 19.
A total of 7.06 crore voters will exercise their franchise on 72,723 polling stations.