With over 70 percent ballot counted, the electoral contest in Bihar is becoming another tough contest to call. The BJP has surged ahead of its ally JD-U, but it is in a close contest with its political arch-rival RJD in Bihar polls. Neither the NDA nor the Grand Alliance or the Mahagathbandhan (MGB) has crossed the half-way mark yet.
As per the Election Commission data at 9 p.m., winners have been declared on 89 out of 243 seats. The BJP has won 28 seats followed by 25 seats by the RJD, while the JD-U has won 17 seats. The counting for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly polls began at 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
According to the Election Commission, the RJD is leading on 51 seats, taking its tally to 76 seats. The BJP is leading on 44 seats, an overall lead on 72 seats. The JD-U is in the third spot, leading on 26 seats and winning 17 seats.
NDA partners Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) has won 2 seats and is leading on two seats while former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) has won one seat and leading on three seats.
Also Read: AIMIM, BSP to be king-makers in Bihar as NDA, MGB grapple for power
The Grand Alliance is leading on a total of 113 seats. The Congress is at fourth position in, as it is leading on 19 seats, and second in the Grand Alliance. The grand old party is followed by three left partners that lead on 18 seats -- the Communist Party of India Marxist-Leninist (Liberation) (12), and the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on three seats each.
As per the counting trend, the JD(U)-BJP alliance is now leading on 123 seats in the state.
The BJP-led NDA fielded candidates on 121 seats, while the Nitish Kumar-led JDU contested on 122 seats.
Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party is yet to either win a seat or lead on any. Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is leading on two seats and won three, while the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has won one seat. Only one Independent candidate has won so far.
The magic number for the winner is 122 in the 243-seat Assembly. The JD-U-led NDA and the RJD-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) are the main contenders.