Tejashwi Yadav Tops Bihar CM Choice Despite NDA's Projected Victory in Exit Polls

Peoples Pulse has projected the NDA winning 133-159 seats in Bihar, while the Mahagathbandhan alliance is expected to secure 75-101 seats.

New Delhi:

Despite predictions that his party will not form the government in Bihar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has emerged as the most preferred chief ministerial candidate according to a recent exit poll.

The survey by Peoples Pulse forecasts the NDA securing between 133-159 seats, with the Mahagathbandhan alliance winning 75-101 seats, and Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party potentially claiming 0-5 seats. These numbers suggest a comfortable majority for the ruling coalition. However, when respondents were asked about their preference for chief minister, Tejashwi Yadav led the field.

The RJD leader garnered 32% support in the chief ministerial preference poll, narrowly outpacing current Bihar Chief Minister and JDU leader Nitish Kumar, who received 30%. This indicates that reports questioning Kumar's health and mental sharpness have not significantly diminished his popularity. Union Minister Chirag Paswan of LJP (Ram Vilas) and political newcomer Prashant Kishor of Jan Suraaj Party tied for third place with 8% each.

While Paswan has been established in politics for some time, Kishor's transition from political strategist to politician is relatively recent. His comparable polling numbers should provide encouragement to his newly formed party, especially considering most exit polls predict it will win between zero and five seats.

BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary received 6% support, while Bihar Congress president Rajesh Kumar managed only 2%. The remaining 14% was distributed among other candidates.

Health warning: Exit polls frequently prove inaccurate.

The survey suggests that while the RJD-Congress-led Mahagathbandhan may not secure power, Tejashwi Yadav enjoys substantial personal popularity, with voters viewing him as a credible potential head of government. This represents positive momentum for the 36-year-old politician who presumably has many years ahead in his political career.

For Nitish Kumar, the consensus among exit polls predicting a stronger NDA majority offers reassurance. Should he retain the chief minister's position, he would lead a more robust government capable of implementing his development agenda. The degree of autonomy he would enjoy in such a role depends on his party's final seat tally when votes are counted on Friday.