Exit polls predict a close fight between Modi and Nitish in Bihar

Patna: Most exit polls have projected a close fight between Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Grand Secular Alliance (GSA) headed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, with the later having the possibility to form the next government in Bihar.

According to Times Now-CVoter exit poll, the GSA is likely to reach the majority figure of 122 in 243-member Bihar assembly against the BJP-led NDA, which is projected to win about 111 seats.

Similarly, in the ABP-Neilson survey, the GSA is projected to win 130 seats whereas the NDA could get around 108. India TV-CVoter survey too predicts the victory of GSA with 112-132 seats against 101-121 for the NDA.

India Today-Cicero exit polls too project a very tough fight between the two alliances with the NDA expected to win 113-127 seats and the GSA also reaching the majority mark with 111-123 seats in its kitty. The News Nation survey says any alliance can win. However CNX-News X survey predicts a clear win for the GSA with 130-140 seats against the NDA’s 90-100 seats.

Meanwhile, a record 60 per cent of voters cast their votes in the fifth and final round of polling in the Bihar assembly elections on Thursday as the month-long voting finally concluded on a peaceful note. With this, the focus has now shifted to the counting of votes scheduled for Sunday.

The last round of polling is being seen as crucial as the party performing well in this phase may form the next government in Bihar. Voting in the last phase was for 57 assembly segments spread over nine districts of north-eastern Bihar. The Muslim vote is a key factor in this phase, with most of the nine districts being dominated by members of the minority.

This phase of polling recorded the highest percentage in terms of voters, with 67.27 per cent polling in Katihar, followed by 64.39 per cent in Kishanganj, 62.95 per cent in Purnia, 62 per cent in Araria, 58.6 per cent in Supaul, 58.27 per cent in Darbhnaga, 57.84 per cent in Madhepura, 55.87 per cent in Madhubani and 50.78 per cent in Saharsa districts. So far, the maximum polling percentage had stood at around 55 per cent while in the 2010 assembly polls, it was recorded at 47 per cent.

Long, meandering queues of voters were seen since early morning in most polling booths in these districts. The highlight of day was the a man picking voting over the cremation of his kin. The bizarre incident took place at in Sonbarsa block of Saharsa.

Another fascinating story came from Madhubani district where a Muslim woman reached a polling booth with a fractured leg while in Purnia district, villagers carried an elderly woman on a cot, wading through a river to help her cast her ballot.

Although the last round will decide the fate of 827 candidates, including the 58 women in the fray, it is being considered a litmus test for at least two leaders — All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) chief Pappu Yadav, whose parties are making poll debuts in Bihar.

Yadav suddenly fell seriously ill on Wednesday night after which he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of a government hospital in Purnia. Eventually, he could not exercise his franchise as he was shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Science in Delhi on Thursday evening when his condition worsened.

Likewise, Owaisi faces a test of acceptability among voters, particularly his fellow Muslims, now that his party is trying his luck in Bihar. The MIM which has fielded its candidates on six seats is accused by the opposition of being hand in glove with the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and contesting the election under the conspiracy to split the Muslim vote.