As various exit polls on Saturday predicted a clear win for the opposition Grand Alliance or Mahagathbandhan, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar reacted with scepticism. NDA asserted that these surveys have often failed to take into account large numbers of ‘silent voters’.
Leaders of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, which are at the helm of the Grand Alliance reacted with predictable glee over the exit polls predictions. The exit polls claimed that the anti-incumbency wave was strong during the state elections. As none of the polls gave Lok Janshakti Party significant numbers, Chirag Paswan insisted that its rebellion against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, JD(U) stood vindicated.
The RJD which as per exit polls would return to the leadership under Tejashwi Yadav seemed jubilant. “Indeed, magnificent”, was a pithy two-line tweet from Manoj Jha, the national spokesman of the party.
The Times Now-C Voter gave 116 to Kumars NDA of Bihars 243 seats and a slight lead for the opposition Grand Alliance at 120. Chirag Paswans Lok Janshakti Party is predicted to win only one seat. While, Republics TV-Jan Ki Baat gave 118-138 seats to the RJD-Congress-Left coalition, and 91-117 seats to the ruling NDA. The channel projected RJD to be the single-largest party. The ABP-CVoter survey predicted 104 to 128 seats for Kumar and his allies, 108-131 for the Mahagathbandhan, and four to eight seats for other parties.
Any party or coalition needs 122 for a majority in the 243-seat Bihar Assembly.
RJD Urges Supporters to Maintain Peace on Result Day
Congress AppointsRandeep Singh Surjewala, Avinash Pandey as Observers of Bihar
Congress President Sonia Gandhi appoints Congress General Secretaries Randeep Singh Surjewala & Avinash Pandey as Observers of Bihar; both leaders will be reaching Patna today. They’ll decide on political activities post poll results after talks with central leadership: Sources
— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2020
Bihar Has Voted for Change: Congress
With the exit polls for Bihar out, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said exit polls are interesting as they provided employment to some people who use small samples, but people speak up at the end. “We are confident that Bihar has voted for a change and Bihar will vote for the change,” he said.
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