Counting of votes for all 243 seats in the Bihar Assembly commenced on Wednesday morning, starting with postal ballots before the electronic voting machines were opened. Initial trends indicate that the NDA has gained an early advantage in 100 constituencies, while the Grand Alliance leads in 54. The emerging party Jansuraaj, led by Prashant Kishor, is currently leading in two seats, with independents and smaller parties ahead in another two. Officials reported that 14 EVMs will be counted in each round, with 14 tables set up at every counting center. Barbigha is anticipated to be the first constituency to announce its results.
Key early leads show RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav ahead in Raghopur against NDA candidate Satish Yadav, while his brother Tej Pratap Yadav is leading in Mahua. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and BJP leader Vijay Sinha have also secured early leads in their respective areas. The AIMIM is leading in one seat, and prominent figures across various political parties have shown early leads. BJP’s Narayan Prasad is leading in Nautan, JDU candidates Samridh Verma in Sikta and Atirek Kumar in Kusheshwar Asthan (SC) have taken early leads. In the Darbhanga region, BJP’s Sujit Kumar Singh is ahead in Gaura Bauram, JDU’s Vinay Kumar Chaudhary in Benipur, RJD’s Vinod Mishra in Alinagar, and JDU’s Rajesh Kumar Mandal in Darbhanga Rural.
Shivani Shukla, the daughter of former MLA Munna Shukla, is leading in Lalganj. In this election, the NDA has fielded BJP and JDU in 101 seats each, with Chirag Paswan’s LJP (Ram Vilas) contesting 29, Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha six, and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM another six. The Grand Alliance’s seat-sharing arrangement has RJD contesting 143 seats, Congress 61, Left parties 30, and VIP nine. In several constituencies, including Chainpur, Kargahar, Narkatiaganj, Sikandra, Kahalgaon, and Sultanganj, alliance partners are engaged in friendly contests.
