Vote Counting Underway in India’s Bihar as BJP Eyes Return to Power

Vote counting is underway in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its alliance partner are hoping to secure a new term in government.

The state voted in two phases on 6 and 11 November, recording a historic turnout of 66.91%, the highest since Bihar’s first election in 1951, according to the Election Commission of India.

Several exit polls forecast an advantage for the BJP-led alliance, though such surveys have proven unreliable in the past.

This year’s election unfolded under scrutiny after a contentious revision of electoral rolls.

Opposition parties alleged that the updated lists risked excluding legitimate voters and could tilt the race in favour of the ruling party, accusations rejected by both the BJP and the Election Commission.

The counting process began at 08:00 local time (02:30 GMT) on Friday, with early trends expected by midday.

Final results are likely to be confirmed by evening.

Bihar, home to more than 74 million voters, remains India’s poorest state, with large-scale migration to other regions for work.

Despite its national dominance, the BJP has yet to form a government on its own in Bihar.

The outgoing administration is a coalition between the BJP and the Janata Dal (United).

The opposition Congress party contested the elections in alliance with the powerful regional Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and smaller parties.

The polls also saw the debut of a new political force led by strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, marking a significant shift in Bihar’s political landscape. Agencies