BJP Alliance Set for Big Win in Bihar as Early Results Show Strong Lead

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies are heading for a decisive victory in Bihar, as early vote-counting trends show the ruling coalition leading in nearly 200 of the state’s 243 seats.

Counting began at 08:00 local time (02:30 GMT), and while results are still coming in, the opposition ahead in fewer than 40 seats appears unlikely to close the gap.

The polls, held on 6 and 11 November, followed a controversial revision of voter rolls that opposition parties said would disadvantage their supporters, a charge rejected by both the BJP and the Election Commission.

The state recorded a historic turnout of 66.91%, the highest since 1951.

Exit polls had already predicted an edge for the BJP-JD(U) alliance, which currently governs the state under outgoing chief minister Nitish Kumar. The rival bloc of the Congress, RJD, and smaller parties has yet to comment on the trends.

This election also marked the debut of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party, which is not leading in any seats.

The Bihar results come ahead of key state elections next year in West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, where the BJP has struggled to expand its influence. Agencies