The counting for 243 seats of Bihar assembly elections is underway after three phases of polling, which concluded on 7 November. Today’s results will decide whether Nitish Kumar becomes the state’s chief minister for the fourth term or Tejashwi Yadav makes a debut as the chief minister in the absence of his father Lalu Prasad Yadav, who’s in jail in Jharkhand.
Most exit polls have predicted a rout for the Nitish Kumar-led NDA mainly comprising the JDU and the BJP. The opposition alliance consisting of the RJD, the Congress and the left parties are projected to secure a sizeable majority in the Bihar assembly.
While Tejashwi had campaigned promising 10 lakh government jobs, ensuring communal harmony and all-round development of Bihar, the BJP once again invoked religion and nationalism to woo the voters.
While Tejashwi’s rallies saw a sea of crowd, Kumar repeatedly faced anger from electorates during his election speeches. Faced with protests, the veteran JDU leader was seen repeatedly losing cool. In one of his last election rallies, Kumar had made a desperate bid to convince voters to give him one more opportunity to govern the state, promising this election to be his last.
The RJD has warned its supporters to not indulge in any celebratory firings or uncivil conduct regardless of today’s outcome.
If exit polls predictions hold true, then this will come as a huge setback to the NDA, which swept the Lok Sabha polls last year by winning 39 out of 40 seats.
LIVE UPDATES on today’s counting and trends will appear below:
22:33 PM: How much more fraud will take place in Bihar polls? Kishanganj’s Congress candidate had won by 1,266 votes. BJP candidate had gone home. Now they are refusing to issue the certificate to Congress candidate: RS Surjewala
बिहार चुनाव में कितनी और हेराफेरी चलेगी?
किशनगंज में कांग्रेस प्रत्याशी 1,266 वोट से जीत गए थे। भाजपा उम्मीदवार अपने घर चली गई थी।
अब कांग्रेस उम्मीदवार को सर्टिफ़िकेट देने से इनकार किया जा रहा है।
प्रजातंत्र की हत्या कर सरेआम जनमत का अपहरण हो रहा है।
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) November 10, 2020
22:01 PM: Ace shooter Shreyasi Singh, making her debut as BJP candidate from Jamui, defeats sitting RJD MLA Vijay Prakash by more than 40,000 votes, reports PTI quoting EC.
21:44 PM: Congress, Tejashwi Yadav to approach Election Commission over alleged electoral fraud during counting of votes for Bihar elections.
21:32 PM: Congress candidate from Sakra, Umesh Ram, told former Union Minister and Congress in-charge Subodh Kant Sahay that he won by 600 votes but was forcibly declared loser by 1,700 votes. Why’s Election Commission not taking cognisance?: RS Surjewala
21:27 PM: Congress candidate from Rajapakar in Vaishali, Pratima Kumari, says she won by 1,720 votes, but the DM is refusing to issue her certificate. This is neither a democratic practice nor legally correct. Where’s Election Commission?: RS Surjewala
21:22 PM: RJD makes stunning allegations of electoral fraud, says its candidates won on 119 seats, returning officers even congratulated them, but now party candidates told that they had lost their elections.
ये उन 119 सीटों की सूची है जहाँ गिनती संपूर्ण होने के बाद महागठबंधन के उम्मीदवार जीत चुके है। रिटर्निंग ऑफ़िसर ने उन्हें जीत की बधाई दी लेकिन अब सर्टिफ़िकेट नहीं दे रहे है कह रहे है कि आप हार गए है। ECI की वेबसाइट पर भी इन्हें जीता हुआ दिखाया गया। जनतंत्र में ऐसी लूट नहीं चलेगी। pic.twitter.com/puUvIagyDz
— Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) November 10, 2020
19:27 PM: NDA candidates are now leading on 120 seats, Mahagathbandhan on 115. Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM leads on 5 seats.
19:21 PM: Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as NDA maintains lead over Mahagathbandhan in Bihar polls: Sources. (PTI)
17:54 PM: Bihar is going to get its own government and nobody can stop it. I request Chief Minister whose exit is confirmed, to stop calling returning officers to slow down the counting of votes. He can only delay his defeat: Manoj Jha, Rashtriya Janata Dal MP. (ANI)
Bihar is going to get its own government and nobody can stop it. I request Chief Minister whose exit is confirmed, to stop calling returning officers to slow down the counting of votes. He can only delay his defeat: Manoj Jha, Rashtriya Janata Dal MP#BiharElectionResults pic.twitter.com/6C6RfZwjIa
— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2020
16:44 PM: Whatever be the outcome of any election, it’s time to stop blaming the EVM. In my experience, the EVM system is robust, accurate and dependable: Congress MP Karti Chidambaram
EVM system is robust, accurate & dependable. This has always been my view. I stand by it. There have been doubters of the EVM from across political political parties, particularly when the results don't go in their favour. Till now no has demonstrated scientifically their claims. https://t.co/e1dG8WsgOp
— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) November 10, 2020
15:11 PM: Sanjay Saraogi of BJP wins Darbhanga seat by over 10,000 votes: EC. (PTI)
14:21 PM: We will see you in a few hours and will prove that we did what we had said: Manoj Jha, RJD MP. (ANI)
BREAKING: RJD MP @manojkjhadu claims “the change is inevitable”. The channels are not showing real time data of counting, we are getting real time data, we are individually leading on 86 seats. We are winning. pic.twitter.com/M9icLeKYJN
— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) November 10, 2020
13:26 PM: Around 4.10 crore votes were cast, 92 lakh votes counted so far. Earlier there used to be 25-26 rounds of counting, this time it went up to around 35 rounds. So the counting will continue till late evening: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar, HR Srinivas. (ANI)
Around 4.10 crore votes were cast, 92 lakh votes counted so far. Earlier there used to be 25-26 rounds of counting, this time it went up to around 35 rounds. So the counting will continue till late evening: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar, HR Srinivas#BiharElection2020 pic.twitter.com/IP9Tn0ljAi
— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2020
12:09 PM: According to Election Commission data, BJP leading on 74 seats, JDU on 47, RJD on 60, Congress 21, BSP 1 and VIP 7 seat.
11:23 AM: According to Election Commission data, BJP leading on 66 seats, JDU on 46, RJD on 65, Congress 23, BSP 1 and VIP 6 seat.
11:03 AM: According to Election Commission data, BJP leading on 62 seats, JDU on 49, RJD on 60, Congress 20, BSP 1 and VIP 6 seat.
10:48 AM: According to Election Commission data, BJP leading on 59 seats, JDU on 49, RJD on 57, Congress 19, BSP 1 and VIP 5 seat.
10:40 AM: According to EC data, early trends show NDA leading on 101 seats, Mahagathbandhan on 88 seats and LJP on 4 seats.
10:32 AM: Early trends of counting in Bihar assembly polls: RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav trails behind JD(U)’s Raj Kumar Ray by 1,365 votes in Hasanpur seat. (PTI)
10:29 AM: Bihar Election Results 2020 LIVE Updates: According to Election Commission data, BJP leading on 53 seats, JDU on 39, RJD on 54, Congress 14, BSP 1 and VIP 5 seat.
10:23 AM: A year ago, RJD couldn’t win a single seat in Lok Sabha polls. As per Lok Sabha results, JDU & allies were to win over 200 seats. In last one year, nothing has harmed brand Nitish or added to brand RJD, we’re losing only due to COVID19 impact: Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi. (ANI)
A year ago, RJD couldn't win a single seat in Lok Sabha polls. As per Lok Sabha results, JDU & allies were to win over 200 seats. In last one year, nothing has harmed brand Nitish or added to brand RJD, we're losing only due to COVID19 impact: Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi pic.twitter.com/j1dnvkoAFm
— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2020
10:15 AM: According to Election Commission data, BJP leading on 40 seats, JDU on 32, RJD on 46, Congress 13, BSP 1 and VIP 5 seat.
09:58 AM: According to Election Commission data, BJP leading on 31 seats, JDU on 20, RJD on 32, Congress 11, BSP 2 and VIP 5 seat.
09:42 AM: According to Election Commission data, BJP leading on 21 seats, JDU on 12, RJD on 13, Congress 11, BSP 1 and VIP 4 seat.
09:23 AM: According to Election Commission data, BJP leading on 15 seats, RJD on 9, JDU on 8, Congress 5, BSP 1 and VIP 1 seat.
09:18 AM: According to EC data, BJP leading on 9 seats, RJD on 5, JDU on 5, Congress 3, CPIM 1, BSP 1 and VIP 1 seat.
09:12 AM : According to EC data, BJP leading on 8 seats, RJD on 3, JDU on 3, Congress 1, BSP 1 and VIP 1 seat.
08:56 AM: Patna: Supporters of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav outside his residence as counting of votes for #BiharElection2020 is underway. (ANI)
Patna: Supporters of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav outside his residence as counting of votes for #BiharElection2020 is underway pic.twitter.com/VvJAlZg8uv
— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2020
08:51 AM: Counting of votes begins for bypolls to Assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh (28 Assembly seats), Uttar Pradesh (7 seats), Manipur (4 seats), Nagaland (2 seats), Odisha (2 seats), Jharkhand (2 seats), Haryana (one seat) at 8 am.
