Bihar Election Final Result Highlights: ‘We can’t digest this’, Akhilesh Yadav questions NDA’s Bihar win

The counting of votes has begun for the 243 assembly seats in Bihar.

Reacting to RJD leader Sunil Singh’s ‘Bihar will see Nepal-like protests if polls are tampered with’ remark, Union Minister and LJP (Ramvilas) chief Chirag Paswan said the opposition was creating an atmosphere of “anarchy”.

Calling it a worrying situation, he said, “when a prominent party of the country is trying to provoke people, means they know they’re losing. They are trying to give a message so that an atmosphere of anarchy is created. They will not be able to digest loss. The way Rahul Gandhi is talking Gen Z, it means they know they are going to lose… But I have a faith on Biharis, they have always acted with patience, nobody wants the ‘jungle raj’ of the 90’s. I have a faith on the hard work of our leaders. We are going to form the government after winning with big margin, we will cross 150 seats. A strong government will take Bihar on the path of change…”

Under tight security, officials have at 46 counting centres set up by the election commission for the smooth conduct of the counting process. The counting of votes will begin in all the 38 districts at 8 am.

Exit polls have often proved to be wrong. In Bihar, the last two times, the results came opposite to the exit polls. The government jobs promise and appeal that Tejashwi Yadav carries with him, could go in favour of the opposition.

The counting staff have arrived at the counting hall. These people will be responsible for the entire counting process throughout the day. Vote counting will start at 8 am.

RJD said the speculation regarding the Bihar election results would end today as ECI takes up the counting process. RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said, “Whatever the speculation is, the results will be in our favour. Nitish Kumar’s government is going to exit, and the Mahagathbandhan will form the government.”

He said the party is vigilant and keeping an eye everywhere, “to protect the future of Bihar”. “The moment people were waiting for has arrived… Tejashwi ji will take the oath on 18th November,” he said.

Nitish Kumar tweets, “Bas kuch ghanto ka intzaar, phir se aa rahi hai sushashan ki sarkar’ (Just a few hours to wait, the government of good governance is returning once again).”

Counting begins shortly.

Day before counting of votes, RJD MLC Sunil Singh was booked for ‘inflammatory’ remarks. He said, “No one can suppress my voice. I will speak the truth even if 100 FIRs are filed against me”. He had said that a “Nepal-like” situation is being created.

Axis My India CMD Pradeep Gupta, in an interview to ANI, said that the ‘vote chori’ narrative did not really work for the opposition. “No claim has any meaning unless its basis and substance influence the public… On the ground, this point was not an issue at all…” he said.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar remembered country’s first PM Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru on his birth anniversary. The counting of votes also happens to fall on the same day.

In a post on X, Nitish said, “On the birth anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ji, I pay my humble respects to him and extend my heartfelt wishes on Children’s Day.”

The Bihar election 2020 was a close fight. All exit polls predicted Mahagathbandhan’s victory, and certainly it looked the same during initial hours of counting, until the clear picture came. The NDA won 125 seats, just above the majority while the MGB could get only 110.

The NDA formed a government and despite Nitish Kumar‘s reluctance to be the CM due to JD(U)’s poor performance, he was asked to be the CM again.

While overall numbers would be the focus, there are some big names that carry heavy weight of their party’s prestige and hence, their victory or defeat becomes crucial. Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Samrat Choudhary (BJP), Vijay Kumar Sinha (BJP), Anant Singh (JDU), Khesari Lal Yadav (RJD). Tej Pratap Yadav of Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) and Maithili Thakur (BJP) are some of the names everyone will be watching keenly.

Ahead of the counting of votes, the BJP workers performed a milk abhishek on photos of PM Narendra Modi and CM Nitish Kumar at a temple, praying for NDA’s victory in the Bihar Assembly elections.

MGB’s CM candidate Tejashwi Yadav earlier alleged that a “propaganda narrative” is being pushed that the BJP is winning. “We have information that some officials are being instructed — via calls from influential people or ministers — to slow down counting, delay declarations in seats where the Mahagathbandhan is leading, and declare NDA seats first…” he said.

A silent poster war is what Bihar is seeing on the counting day. Visuals from the RJD headquarters in Patna show a poster reading “Alvida Chacha”, symbolically referring to Nitish Kumar’s exit from the CM chair.

The RJD, which contested 143 seats, remains confident of the Mahagathbandhan’s return to power.

Only one exit poll, conducted by Axis My India, suggested a close contest between NDA and MGB. It predicted 121-141 seats for the NDA and 98-118 for the MGB. If the picture nears anywhere on these lines, smaller parties and independents would become key to government formation.

Police and security forces have been deployed at counting centres to ensure smooth counting of votes. The arrangements have been tightened in several Assembly constituencies. The counting is set to begin at 8 am.

JD(U)’s Mokama candidate Anant Singh’s house in Patna was decorated with lights on Thursday, a day before the counting of votes. Sweets were also prepared as part of the celebrations.

The counting of votes will begin sharp at 8 am with the postal ballots being counted first. The EVM votes counting will start from 8:30 am. There is no schedule as to when the counting shall end, and the process at times goes past midnight.

Hours before the counting process, posters were put up in Bihar saying “Tiger Zinda Hai”, and with the photo of CM Nitish Kumar. Notably, the opposition had time and again alleged that Kumar was not physically and mentally fit to rule the state.

DV Research said that NDA is predicted to form a government with 137-152 seats, while Mahagathbandhan is getting 83-98 seats. Jan Suraaj might win 2-4 seats and others are getting 1-8 seats. On the other hand, Times Now JVC exit poll suggested 142 seats for the NDA and 95 for MGB. It predicted only one seat for the Jan Suraaj Party.

The exit polls on Nov 11 and Nov 12 gave a comfortable victory to the NDA. Hyderabad-based Peoples Pulse predicted a clear edge for the NDA with 133–159 seats and a strong 46.2% vote share. Mahagathbandhan is likely to get anywhere between 75-101 and Jan Suraaj 0-5.

Bihar Election Result Seat Wise Live: ‘NDA government will be formed’, says Chirag Paswan’s mother

Ahead of the counting, the opposition INDIA bloc, led by Tejashwi Yadav, voiced concern of a “conspiracy” during counting of votes for the state assembly polls. It has urged the poll panel to ensure impartiality.

Hours before the counting of votes, MGB’s Deputy CM nominee and Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP) Chief, Mukesh Sahani, exuded confidence in winning the polls, and also invited media for swearing-in ceremony, “We have toured across Bihar and assessed the public’s mood, we have seen the mood of women voters, and it is clear that we will form the government with good numbers… We are inviting you on the 18th, and we have already discussed where the sweets will be made…” he said.

For the ruling NDA, the might of PM Narendra Modi and leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are at stake. The coalition has to prove that its schemes — at central and state levels– have been welcomed by the people of the state. As for the MGB, proving existence is the real challenge. The opposition already has less number of states in its kitty, and Bihar gave then a big opportunity.

Making an elaborate arrangement for the entire counting process, the ECI has 243 Returning Officers (ROs), who will do the counting in the presence of 243 Counting Observers and the candidates or their agents. Besides this, over 18,000 Counting Agents appointed by the candidates will also oversee the counting process, the ECI said.

A day before counting on Thursday, the ECI shared some takeaways from the elections. It mentioned that assembly polls this year concluded with a record polling percentage of 67.13%, highest ever since 1951. The poll panel added that it did not receive any single appeal either by 2,616 candidates or any of the 12 recognised political parties regarding repoll on any seat

Once the votes from EVMs are counted, a random selection of five polling stations per constituency is made for VVPAT verification. These slips are matched with EVM results in the presence of candidates and their counting agents to ensure transparency.

During EVM counting, the control units set up by the ECI are brought to the counting tables round-wise and shown to the counting agents to verify that the seals are intact and serial numbers match the records in Form 17C (Part I). The number of votes recorded in EVMs is cross-checked with entries in Form 17C. In case of any mismatch, VVPAT slips from that polling station are to be counted mandatorily.