NEW DELHI: Celebrations broke out across Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) offices on Friday afternoon as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) surged past the 200-seat mark in the Bihar Assembly polls, according to Election Commission of India trends at 3.18 pm.The NDA, powered by chief minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP is leading in 208 seats. BJP held leads in 95, JD(U) in 84, LJP in 20, HAM in 5 and RLM in 4.On the opposition side, the Mahagathbandhan trailed with the RJD ahead in 24 seats, Congress in 2, CPI(ML) in 1 and CPI-M in 1, taking their total to 28. BSP led in one seat, while AIMIM secured leads in six.Celebrations turn streets into carnivalsIn Patna, the mood turned electric as BJP workers arrived with a chariot carrying a large image of Prime Minister Modi. One jubilant worker was heard saying, “Dhairya rakho mere bhagwan Modi par”. Supporters were seen dancing, singing and waving saffron flags.Party workers wore masks of PM Modi and Nitish Kumar, breaking into spontaneous performances as trends consistently placed the NDA ahead. Buckets of jalebi, litti chokha and other Bihar delicacies circulated among volunteers, while drums echoed through the JD(U) office where a giant poster of Nitish Kumar fluttered in the evening breeze.A young group marched proudly with JD(U)’s green thermocol arrow, chanting, “Teer chalega, Bihar badega! (The arrow will strike, Bihar will progress!)” Firecrackers carpeted the ground, streaked with green gulaal as senior workers, some sitting under makeshift tarpaulins, beat slow rhythms on the dholak.Delhi BJP HQ prepares Bihar menu for the victory nightAt the BJP headquarters in Delhi, workers made arrangements for victory celebrations with a full Bihari spread. A local confectioner confirmed: “We have sattu paratha, baingan chokha, jalebi… and litti chokha can also be prepared.”Meanwhile in Mokama, Rasgulla, litti chokha were also being prepared at the residence of RJD leader Veena Devi as counting intensified in her constituency.“NDA will cross 200”: A prediction turns realityEarlier in the morning, BJP minister and candidate Nitin Nabin expressed confidence, stating the NDA would outperform its 2010 showing and secure more than 200 seats.“We will get 200+ seats,” he said. Nabin addressed RJD as the “symbol of jungle raj.”“They (RJD) are still not able to let go of their mindset of ‘jungle raj’. RJD is the symbol of ‘jungle raj’,” he said.A test of endurance for Nitish KumarFor chief minister Nitish Kumar, who has governed Bihar for nearly two decades, this election was widely viewed as a test of public trust. Despite criticisms and shifting alliances, the trends signaled a renewed endorsement of his governance model.His supporters credited the results to his focus on rural development, social schemes, improved infrastructure and what they call a stable administrative approach.The 2025 Bihar election made history with zero repolling and zero incidents of violence, a stark contrast to earlier decades that saw widespread unrest. Voter turnout also reached record levels, with 67.13% overall polling across two phases. This is Bihar’s highest turnout since 1951.Allies and analysts alike point to the combined force of PM Modi’s nationwide appeal and Nitish Kumar’s deep grassroots network as the key driver of the NDA’s resounding performance. The alliance centered its campaign on welfare delivery, infrastructure expansion, administrative stability and cultural identity, including PM Modi’s push for UNESCO recognition of Chhath Puja.
