NDA takes early lead in Bihar polls as counting underway: TV reports

Patna: The ruling NDA appeared to have taken an early lead in the Bihar assembly elections on Friday morning, with multiple television channels projecting that the BJP-JD(U) combine was ahead as counting was underway for 243 assembly seats at 46 centres in 38 districts.

The Election Commission was yet to come out with any official trends.

According to CNN-News18, the NDA was leading in around 60 seats, while the INDIA bloc was ahead in 30 seats, and the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) in two seats.

NDTV showed that NDA was ahead in 77 seats, while the INDIA bloc was leading in 50 constituencies.

ABP News showed that the NDA was ahead in 50 seats, the INDIA bloc in 30 seats, and Jan Suraaj in three.

TV9 Bharatvarsh projected that the NDA was leading in 49 seats, while the INDIA bloc was ahead in 30 seats.

Zee News showed that NDA was ahead in 54 seats, the INDIA bloc in 28, and JSP in three.

Figures from India Today stated that NDA was leading in 82, whereas the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan was leading in 57 seats.

The counting of votes for the state's 243 assembly constituencies began at 8 am, with postal ballots taken up first, in keeping with Election Commission norms. Counting of EVM votes commenced at 8.30 am, officials said.

The two-phase Bihar elections are being viewed as a crucial test for JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, the state's longest-serving CM, whose political stock has been under scrutiny following shifting alliances and anti-incumbency sentiments.

Political observers say the results will also be read as a judgement on the Narendra Modi government's popularity, months after the BJP-led NDA suffered setbacks in last year's Lok Sabha polls.

For the NDA, a victory is expected to reinforce the perception that the coalition has regained ground after the parliamentary poll jolt. For the opposition INDIA bloc, a strong performance will offer a morale boost after defeats in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi, which they have attributed to "vote theft".

Counting is expected to continue through the day, with clear trends likely to emerge by afternoon.