NDA set to win 39 of 40 seats in Bihar

As the counting of votes entered into last phase, NDA is  all set to win 39 of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar while Congress, one of  the constituents of grand alliance is leading in one seat which could  have far reaching repercussion in political horizon, even as the state  is scheduled to face Assembly Elections in November next year.

Bihar  Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had walked out from Grand Alliance and  joined the NDA in 2017 which gave its a boost to face the 2019 Lok Sabha  elections with more confidence and vigour.

In 2014 Lok Sabha elections,  JD(U) was not part of NDA and then BJP, LJP and RLSP had its  constituents which bagged 31 of 40 seats in Bihar.

In 2015 Assembly  elections, BJP led NDA had suffered crushing defeat as Mr  Kumar had joined hands with RJD and Congress to form Grand Alliance  which was voted to power with thumping majority.

After  Mr Kumar joined hands with BJP to form NDA government in Bihar in 2017,  RLSP one of the constituents of NDA started feeling uncomfortable and  ultimately last year, the party left NDA following differences over seat  sharing for 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Bihar.

Hindustani Awam Morcha  (HAM), which was also part of NDA during 2015 state assembly elections,  had left it in 2018 to join grand alliance. RLSP and Viksshil Insan  Party (VIP) also followed the suit and joined grand alliance with RJD  and Congress as its major partners.

The stage was set for  direct contest on 40 seats in Bihar between candidates of NDA comprising  BJP, JD(U) and LJP and the candidates of grand alliance comprising RJD,  Congress, HAM, RLSP and VIP. RJD is considered as strong regional party  of Bihar and it had alliance with Congress since long while RLSP, HAM  and VIP gave its additional strength with support of their traditional  mass base to grand alliance.

Grand Alliance had geared up to  take on NDA strongly in Lok Sabha elections and political analysts were  of the opinion that NDA would have a tough task in maintaining its 2014  tally of 31. The result declared today proved them wrong as NDA was not  only heading towards improving its last tally but also on the brink of  registering largest ever victory in the state in any Lok Sabha  elections.

As per the trend available and results declared on  few seats so far, NDA is all set to bag 39 seats while grand alliance  would have to content with only one seat. Congress appears to be the  only party in grand alliance to score while others are set to draw  blank.

It is being speculated among political pundits that there  could be bickering among grand alliance after its crushing defeat in  Lok Sabha elections. It also remains to be seen how would senior leaders  of RJD would react who had contested Lok Sabha elections under the  leadership of Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, the younger son of RJD chief Lalu  Prasad who is presently lodged in jail after conviction in fodder scam.