Patna: As voting ended in the second and final phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, exit polls aired on Tuesday evening suggested a decisive edge for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with projections indicating the return of a Nitish Kumar-led government. Surveys conducted by Matrize–IANS, People’s Pulse, Chanakya Strategies and Polstrat have all forecast an NDA victory.
The most striking takeaway across the exit polls is the sharp decline predicted for the Congress and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). According to Poll Diary, Congress is expected to win between four and eight seats, while the VIP may fail to secure even one. The Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD, is projected to remain below the 100-seat mark, though the RJD is still likely to emerge as the single largest party within the alliance.
Analysts say that while the RJD may strengthen its position compared to other alliance partners, it is unlikely to match its performance from the previous assembly. The surveys also show consistent trends across all four polling agencies, with each one signalling that public sentiment favours continuity under the NDA.
The exit polls come after a record-breaking voter turnout in both phases of polling, with participation surpassing previous assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state. The Election Commission will declare the official results on 14 November.
