Bihar exit polls: JD(U) mocks opposition, Mahagathbandhan dismisses forecasts
Exit polls predict a big NDA victory in Bihar, placing Mahagathbandhan far behind as opposition leaders dismiss the projections.
Patna: The exit polls for the Bihar Assembly Election 2025 have projected a clear and comfortable win for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP and JD(U), suggesting that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his allies are on track for another term in power. Released on Tuesday evening, the surveys place the opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) — consisting of the RJD, Congress, and Left parties — at a distant second.
The predictions, released by several pollsters including Matrize, P-Marq, and Peoples Pulse, indicate that the NDA could secure anywhere between 130 and 209 seats in the 243-member Bihar Assembly — well above the majority mark of 122. The Mahagathbandhan, on the other hand, is projected to manage only 70 to 102 seats, reflecting a sharp setback for the opposition alliance that had campaigned aggressively against the ruling coalition.
As expected, celebrations broke out in the NDA camp soon after the exit poll results were made public. Party workers at both BJP and JD(U) headquarters in Patna were seen distributing sweets and chanting slogans in anticipation of a favorable verdict on counting day. Senior leaders expressed confidence that the people of Bihar had once again chosen stability and development.
“We are confident that the people of Bihar have voted for progress and good governance,” said a JD(U) spokesperson, adding that the opposition had become “politically disabled” due to a lack of vision and unity.
However, the Mahagathbandhan has strongly rejected the projections, calling them “misleading” and “manipulated.” RJD leaders maintained that the real results on November 14 would “shock many pollsters” and insisted that the alliance’s social coalition and outreach among youth and farmers would deliver a strong mandate in its favor.
Bihar Elections 2025 Overview
The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections were conducted in two phases and witnessed a record-breaking voter turnout of 66.91 percent, the highest in the state’s electoral history, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The first phase of voting took place on November 6, registering a turnout of 65.08 percent, while the second phase, held on November 11, saw an even higher participation rate of 68.67 percent. The counting of votes is scheduled for November 14, after which the official results will be declared by the ECI.
Within the Mahagathbandhan, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) contested 143 seats, while the Congress fielded candidates in 61 constituencies. Among the Left parties, the CPI contested 9 seats, the CPI(M) contested 4, and the CPI(ML-L) put up candidates in 20 constituencies. The Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), another smaller ally, contested 15 seats.
In the previous 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, the NDA had also emerged victorious, winning 125 seats — with the BJP bagging 74, the JD(U) securing 43, and both the VIP and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM)** winning 4 seats each.
This time, pollster P-Marq projected a similar trend, giving the NDA 123–135 seats, while the Grand Alliance was estimated to win 104–115 seats, suggesting a closer contest in some regions but still a decisive edge for the ruling coalition.
As Bihar waits for counting day, both alliances have urged their supporters to stay patient. For now, all eyes are on November 14, when the people’s verdict will finally be revealed.