The NDA is leading in 133 seats while the Grand Alliance is ahead in 99 seats as per trends
The ruling NDA is marginally ahead of the Opposition Grand Alliance in the trends for 243 seats of the Bihar Assembly. However, only 50 per cent of the votes have been counting so far and it is too early to call the election in favour of the ruling alliance.
Counting of votes has been tardy because of various protocols in place in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure social distancing norms put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the commission had increased the number of polling stations from nearly 65,000 in the 2015 assembly polls to 1.06 lakh.
As per the Election Commission, only about two crore of the total 4.16 crore votes polled have been counted so far.
In a press conference, the Election Commission said that the election results will be out late at night as the number of counting centres have increased from 38 to 55 this time.
However, the EC added the pace of counting has not slowed down but the results will be "slightly delayed" due to the increase in EVMs. It also said that EVMs are robust and tamper-proof.
As per trends available till 4 pm, the NDA was leading in 128 seats -- the BJP in 75, the JD(U) in 48 and the VIP in five.
The Grand Alliance, on the other hand, was leading in 101 seats -- the RJD in 63, the Congress in 21, the CPI (ML) Liberation in 12, the CPI(M) in three and the CPI in two.
The LJP is leading in two seats, the AIMIM in four seats and the BSP is leading in two seat.
Former Bollywood set designer Mukesh Sahni's Vikassheel Insaan Party, a fledgling outfit that joined the NDA just ahead of the assembly polls, may spring a surprise, having established a lead in six seats so far.
As per the early trends, RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav is leading Raj Kumar Ray of Janata Dal (United) in Hasanpur seat. His brother, RJD leader and Grand Alliance chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav, leads in Raghopur seat.
However, RJD seems to be on a wait-and-watch mode, with the Yadavs not to be seen outside the party office this afternoon. in the RJD camp, the initial euphoria appears to be dipping. A crowd of Tejashwi supporters that had gathered outside the 10 Circular Road residence of former chief minister Rabri Devi expecting a victory is thinning.
At the BJP office at Beer Chand Patel Path, where there was not much activity for the past three days after exit polls projected a majority for the Grand Alliance, several leaders and party workers have started coming in with beaming faces.
Ace shooter and BJP nominee Shreyasi Singh is leading over her rivals in Jamui.
HAM president and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is leading Uday Narain Choudhary of RJD in Imamganj seat.
State minister and BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav is leading against Pravin Singh of the Congress in Patna Sahib seat.
However, the fight is close in many seats, with at least 10 seats having a vote difference of less than 500. In 35 seats, the difference in votes in less than 1,000 votes. In 115 seats, the fate of candidates could be decided by a margin of less than 5,000 votes, as per latest trends.