Bihar embraces Tejashwi-led Mahagathbandhan, rejects Modi-Nitish combine, say Exit Polls

In what can be termed as the beginning of the fall of the NDA, almost all Exit poll surveys have predicted a clean sweep for Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar.

It was the first election that was held amid Corona pandemic and and post lockdown. Exit poll surveys have predicted a close finish for the opposition alliance with anti-incumbency factor weighing heavily on chief minister Nitish Kumar who is looking for a fourth successive term in Bihar.

An aggregate of opinion polls showed that led by Tejashwi Yadav, Mahagathbandhan may win 124 seats, just past the majority mark, and incumbent Nitish Kumar led NDA will win 110.

The Time-C Voter gave 116 to the NDA and a slight lead for the opposition Mahagathbandhan at 120.

It said that Chirag Paswan who left the NDA just before the election, will not win more than two seats.

The Republic TV which is known as “the BJP media” among its detractors, gave 118 to 138 seats to the opposition alliance and 91-117 seats to the ruling NDA. Chirag Paswan’s party is likely to win five to eight seats, said the Republic survey.

However, the final results will be announced on Tuesday, November 10.

Any party or coalition needs 122 for a majority in the 243-seat Bihar assembly.

According to Today’s Chanakya survey, 60 per cent upper caste respondents voted for the BJP-JDU, while 29 per cent voted for Congress-RJD. It further added that 69 per cent Yadavs voted for the RJD-Congress, while 22 per cent picked BJP-JDU.

Muslim voters also favoured the RJD-Congress as per the survey.

Interestingly, Tejashwi Yadav who was dubbed as the “yuvraj of the Jungle raj” by Prime Minister Modi has emerged as the favorite choice for the post of the Chief Minister.

As per the India Today-My Axis Poll, 44 per cent of survey respondents preferred Tejashwi Yadav as the next Bihar chief minister, while 35 per cent wanted JDU’s Nitish Kumar to get another term.