Bihar Election Result 2020 LIVE Updates: With the counting of votes slowed down by strict Covid-19 protocol and continuing late into the night, the NDA managed to secure 125 seats, above the halfway mark of 122 needed to form the government in the state. The RJD, led by Tejashwi Yadav, secured 110, giving the BJP-JDU partnership a tough fight through the day.
An edge-of-the-seat contest unfolded through much of Tuesday in Bihar as the ruling NDA crossed the halfway mark of 122 in the 243-member assembly, winning 125 seats. While the RJD-led opposition ‘Mahagathbandhan’ gave the BJP-JDU partnership a run for its money, it fell short, securing 110 seats.
Of the 203 seats declared by the Election Commission by midnight on Wednesday, 102 have gone in favour of the ruling coalition headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and 93 to its rival Grand Alliance. The BJP won 60 seats and its partner JDU 34, and Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP) and Hindustan Awami Morcha (HAM) four each.
In the Mahagathbandhan, the RJD won 64 seats, the Congress 16 and the Left 13. Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM has won five, the BSP and an Independent candidate one seat each.
The RJD looks set to emerge as the single-largest party in the House. The BJP will finish second with 72 seats likely in its kitty.
The AIMIM of Hyderabad MP Owaisi has sprung a surprise, clinching five seats in the Seemanchal region having a large Muslim population. Its Grand Democratic Secular Front (GDSF) ally, the BSP, has pocketed one seat.
Chirag Paswan’s LJP, which had walked out of the NDA just ahead of the polls and gone to the hustings alone, finally opened its account, winning just one seat. It is not leading in any of the seats where results are pending. An Independent candidate also won.
Senior BJP leaders Sushil Kumar Modi and Bhupendra Yadav earlier in the night reached the residence of incumbent Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar in Patna. According to sources, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also dialled Kumar and the two leaders spoke about the poll results and trends. The JD(U) has been dented severely by the LJP and the Congress has blamed Owaisi for eating into its vote share allegedly at the behest of the BJP.❐
