New Delhi, Nov 14 (IANS) The NDA leaders on Friday said the people of Bihar have rejected the Mahagathbandhan and have proven their faith in the ruling alliance whose politics is based on development.

The leaders were reacting to the early trends as shown on the Election Commission’s website.

“From the beginning, we have been saying that the NDA will win. During the campaign, we all witnessed the popularity of PM Modi, CM Nitish Kumar and our party chief Chirag Paswan at the ground level. After we got a victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, there were clear indicators that during the Assembly polls, NDA would win,” LJP(RV) MP Shambhavi Chaudhary said.

“The people of Bihar recognise that the ideology of the Mahagathbandhan is far from development, rooted instead in jungle raj, lawlessness, and its politics is based on caste and religion. Bihar’s electorate had long rejected the Mahagathbandhan, and the data clearly proves it,” she added.

Similarly, JD(U) leader Ashok Choudhary said, “We had said earlier that if you look at our statements before the first phase of elections, we expected to win more than a two-thirds majority. If we crossed 170 seats, the mandate we have received is exactly in line with that expectation…”

The NDA is currently leading in over 200 seats, with the Mahagathbandhan following at 36.

The counting operations are being overseen by 243 Returning Officers and an equal number of Counting Observers appointed by the Election Commission.

Over 18,000 counting agents representing various candidates are present at the centres to monitor the process closely.

Entry into counting centres has been strictly restricted to individuals with valid passes, and the use of mobile phones inside counting halls has been completely prohibited.

In the outgoing Assembly, the NDA holds 131 seats, comprising BJP’s 80, JD(U)’s 45, four of HAM(S) and two Independents. The Opposition bloc has 111 seats, with the RJD holding 77, Congress 19, CPI(ML) 11, CPI(M) two and CPI two.

–IANS

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