Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM leads in five seats in Bihar polls

Patna: The Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM was leading in five seats as counting was underway for the Bihar assembly polls on Friday, according to the Election Commission.

The party, which has significant influence in the Seemanchal region that has a high Muslim population, is contesting 29 of the 243 seats in the assembly. Twenty-four of the seats it is contesting are in the Seemanchal region.

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen's (AIMIM) Md Sarawar Alam was leading in Kochadhaman by 13,996 votes after the 11th round of counting, while Akhtarul Iman was ahead in Amour by 14,262 votes after the ninth round of counting.

Ghulam Sarwar was leading in Baisi by 9,355 votes after the sixth round of counting, whereas Mohammad Murshid Alam was ahead in Jokihat by 5,332 votes after the 11th round.

The party's Thakurganj candidate Ghulam Hasnain was ahead by 357 votes after 10 rounds of counting.

Overall, the ruling NDA appeared to register a landslide victory, opening up impressive leads in more than 180 seats, with early trends also indicating that the BJP was on track to post its biggest tally with an excellent strike rate.

The AIMIM fought the elections independently, without joining either of the ruling or opposition coalitions.

The tally is likely to change with several rounds of counting still left.