The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has registered victory in Bihar election, while Rashtriya Janata Dal emerged as single largest party with 23.11 percent vote share and victory in 75 seats.
According to the Election Commission of India website, the NDA registered victory in 125 seats, with BJP winning 74 seats, and Janata Dal (United) securing win in 43 constituencies.
Unfortunately, Tejashwi Yadav, who was the face of RJD, could not root out the NDA from Bihar because of poor performance by the Congress.
RJD was leading the Mahagathbandhan (united opposition), and the Congress could register victory in only 19 seats.
But the Left parties, which were part of the Mahagathbandhan, performed much better as CPI (ML-L) registered victory in 12 seats, while the CPI and CPI (M) bagged two seats each.
The AIMIM surprised everyone by bagging five seats in the Seemanchal region, while BSP got one seat.
The Lok Janshakti Party, which had broken away from NDA and had contested in 137 seats, could register victory in only one seat.
Though NDA registered got the clear majority, RJD was definitely the best performing party with 23.11 percent vote share.
The BJP, which won 74 seats, got 19.46 percent vote share, and JD (U) won 43 seats with 15.39 percent vote share.
Refusing to concede defeat, the RJP leadership on Tuesday evening accused Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi of exerting pressure on district magistrates to keep RJD’s seat count low.
The RJD claimed it would not allow the public mandate to get looted. The party even published a list of 119 candidates, claiming that the Mahagathbandhan had registered victory in those seats.
Meanwhile, the NDA has started preparation for the formation of the next government in Bihar. Though JD (U) bagged only 43 seats, it is likely that Nitish Kumar will be sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Bihar.
Though a section of BJP leadership are in favour of projecting Sushil Modi as the new chief minister, the saffron party will probably not take a chance as JD (U) in that case, may join hands with RJD, and form the new government.