Patna: As the second and final phase of voting in Bihar Assembly elections was completed on Tuesday, it was time for exit polls.
All predictions this evening pointed to a clear victory for the NDA, spearheaded by biggest stakeholders BJP and JD(U).
As per the findings of seven exit polls, ruling alliance NDA will garner at least 133 seats and up to 167 out of 243 seats, which takes them comfortably past the majority mark of 122. If these polls are not proved wrong, the reign of Nitish Kumar, longest-serving chief minister of Bihar, is set to be extended.
Opposition alliance Mahagathbandhan (MGB), led by RJD and supported by Congress, is expected to win between 70 and 102 seats.
Significantly, poll strategist Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), making its electoral debut and being seen by many as a dark horse which could play the kingmaker’s role in a politically volatile state, is likely to come a cropper.
The best projection hands JSP a mere 4 seats, in the 243-member Assembly.
Like MGB, Kishor and his party will be hoping that the exit polls have got it wrong, and the results will be completely when votes are counted on November 14.
Following are the exit polls prediction:
Dainik Bhaskar – NDA 145-160, MGB 73-91, JSP 0-3
Matrize – NDA 147-167, MGB 70-90, JSP 0-2
People’s Insight – NDA 133-148, MGB 87-102, JSP 0-2
People’s Pulse – NDA 133-159, MGB 75-101, JSP 0-3
JVC – NDA 135-150, MGB 88-133, JSP 0-1
P-Marq – NDA 142-162, MGB 80-98, JSP 1-4
Chanakya Strategies – NDA 130-138, MGB 100-108, JSP 0.
