NDA heads for clear victory in Bihar, Rabri Devi trails

PATNA - The Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has been surging ahead towards a substantive win to retain power in Bihar Assembly polls by leading in 158 of the 215 seats for which trends were available.

The RJD-LJP alliance was far behind as it led in 40 of the total 243 seats.

In Bettiah, Assembly constituency, BJP Minister Renu Devi beats Congress nominee Madan Mohan Tiwari by around 15,000 votes.

Chandramohan Rai (BJP) beats BSP’s Ejaj Hussain by over 13,000 votes from Chanpatia Assembly constituency.

In Bagha, Prabhat Ranjan Singh JD(U) defeats BSP’s Md. Kamran by around 20,000 votes.

Former Chief Minister Rabri Devi was trailing by 400 votes after the first round of counting at Sonepur, where the BJP candidate Vijay Kumar Singh was leading.

The Congress was leading in five seats. Other parties and Independents were leading in nine seats.

The RJD and its ally LJP contested 168 and 75 seats respectively. The CPI contested 56 seats and the CP-M 30.

The JD (U)-BJP combine has 143 seats, RJD-LJP 64, Congress nine and others 27 in the outgoing Assembly. (ANI)