NDA gets majority on 125 seats, RJD emerges single-largest party with 110 seats

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won an absolute majority in Bihar, winning 122 seats in a closely contested election that saw counting continue stretching over 19 hours and wrapping up only in the early hours on Wednesday. The Mahagathbandhan including Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and Left parties managed to secure 110 seats in the state’s 243-seat legislative assembly.

The first mass election in the country amidst conditions created by COVID-19 has paved the way for the return of Chief Minister Kumar for the fourth successive term in office.

The closely contestested battle saw the Mahagathbandhan narrowing the gap between the two alliances during the day with political parties in fray keeping an eye on the narrow margins.

Among the constituents of NDA, Janata Dal-United (JDU) bagged 42 seats. Four seats went into the accounts of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) and 4 to Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular).

Apart from Congress and the RJD, other Mahagathbandhan allies CPI and CPI-M won two seats each while CPI(M-L) secured a win in 12 constituencies.

Among other parties, AIMIM has won five seats, and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has won one seat. One Independent candidate has also won.

Chirag Paswan led-Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) which fielded over 130 candidates only managed to secure only one seat.

RJD secured 23.1 per cent vote share, the highest in this polls, followed BJP with 19.5 per cent. JDU and Congress got vote share of 15.4 per cent and 9.5 per cent respectively.

A delegation of RJD and Congress went to the Election Commission office in Patna and alleged “tampering” in the counting of votes in some constituencies.