SAFFRON STANDARD

Bihar sticks to NITISHASTRA, sends Mahagathbandhan packing

- Dheeraj Kumar

The National Democratic Alliance has stormed back to power in Bihar with a thumping three-fourths majority, cementing its political dominance and reaffirming the enduring centrality of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the state's electoral landscape.

As the Election Commission declared the final results late on Friday night, the numbers told a story that was as decisive as it was familiar: the NDA swept 202 seats, while the Congress contesting 61managed a paltry six.

The BJP, spearheaded by spirited campaigning by PM Narendra Modi, emerged as the single largest party within the alliance, winning 89 seats.

The party's alliance partner JD(U), once again the lynchpin of Bihar's social-coalition politics, secured 85 seats.

Charismatic Chirag Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas) posted a surprisingly robust performance with 19 seats, while HAM bagged five and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha four.

In stark contrast, the Mahagathbandhan saw its support sharply eroded. The RJD, which contested the largest share of seats in the INDIA bloc, managed only 25 wins.