Patna: The Bihar Assembly election vote count is underway, and trends emerging from the first half of counting indicate a significant shift in the state’s political landscape. For over three decades, JD(U) under Nitish Kumar has been a key ally of the BJP. However, Nitish has occasionally changed political alignments, creating challenges for his partners. This time, early trends suggest that even if the final results remain consistent, BJP may secure a majority without needing JD(U), leaving Nitish Kumar with little leverage in Bihar politics.
BJP Could Form Government Without Nitish
As of 3 PM, the counting indicates that BJP is not only emerging as the single largest party but is also on track to cross the majority mark with the support of NDA’s other allies, even without JD(U). This development makes any bargaining for Nitish Kumar with the BJP extremely difficult.
Despite repeated assurances from BJP leadership that Nitish Kumar will remain the face of the coalition post-election, and JD(U)’s own insistence that he will continue as Chief Minister, the reality appears different. Compared to 2020, BJP seems to have taken control of Bihar’s power dynamics, even after JD(U) has almost doubled its seat tally.
Nitish Cannot Flip the Script This Time
Current trends show NDA leading in 206 of 243 seats. Even if JD(U)’s projected 83 seats are excluded, the alliance comfortably crosses the magic number required to form government. BJP leads in 95 seats, LJP(R) in 20, HAM in 5, and RLM in 4, totaling 124 seats. Even if JD(U) attempts to realign with the Mahagathbandhan, the coalition would remain well short of the majority at 122 seats.
The counting is ongoing, and final results may vary. For live updates, visit the Election Commission’s official website: results.eci.gov.in
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