BJP-Led NDA Crosses Majority Mark in Bihar Elections; Giriraj Singh Sets Sights on West Bengal

Available leads indicate the BJP-led NDA has surpassed the majority threshold of 122 seats.

With the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leading in most seats in the Bihar Assembly elections, Union Minister Giriraj Singh has declared West Bengal as their "next target".

"Bihar had determined that a government of anarchy would not be formed. Bihar's youth are intelligent. This is development's victory. We have won Bihar. Now it is Bengal's turn," the minister stated.

Singh further mentioned that it was evident from the beginning that Bihar "would not accept a government of chaos, corruption, or loot".

"People opted for peace, justice, and development. While today's youth might not have witnessed those earlier times, their elders did. When Tejashwi Yadav briefly participated in government, people observed the attempt to spread disorder," he remarked.

Current leads show the BJP-led NDA has exceeded the majority mark of 122 seats in the 243-member Bihar assembly and currently leads in 160 seats. The opposition Mahagathbandhan, headed by Tejashwi Yadav's RJD, is ahead in 78. Poll strategist Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj, expected to underperform, leads in two seats.

Exit polls had also forecasted that the ruling NDA would maintain power in the state with BJP emerging as the single-largest party. A compilation of nine exit polls suggested that the ruling NDA would secure 147 seats and the grand alliance 90 seats. The RJD would obtain between 57 and 69 seats - down from 75. The Congress, which won 19 seats previously, would decrease to 14, while Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party would gain one seat.

Today's Bihar Assembly election results will determine whether Nitish Kumar - the state's longest-serving chief minister - will maintain his position for a fifth consecutive term.