Patna, Nov 11 (NationPress) The double-engine government led by Nitish Kumar appears poised to regain power with a significant mandate in the fiercely contested Bihar Assembly elections, while the Mahagathbandhan is expected to fall to a distant second position, according to the IANS-Matrize Exit Poll.

According to the Exit Poll projections, the BJP-led NDA is anticipated to secure 48 percent of the vote share, effectively translating into nearly a two-thirds majority in the 243-member Assembly. Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan is projected to achieve only 37 percent of the vote share, which would result in a limited 70-90 seats for the RJD-Congress-led alliance.

Another notable aspect of the Exit Polls is the resurgence of Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), which faced scrutiny leading up to the elections due to the Chief Minister's health issues.

The Exit Poll indicates a strong consolidation of JD(U) voters, and the party may emerge as the single largest entity, surpassing both its ally BJP and rival RJD.

The BJP is projected to maintain its performance akin to the previous election in 2020, likely securing 65-73 seats with a 19 percent vote share.

The RJD is expected to capture 21 percent of the vote share, translating into 53-58 seats, while its primary ally, Congress, is forecasted to attain merely 7 percent vote share, resulting in around 10-12 seats.

If the Exit Poll predictions hold true on November 14, it signifies a decisive mandate for the Nitish Kumar administration and a disappointing outcome for the Mahagathbandhan, despite its efforts to rally voters with allegations of electoral fraud.

The smaller NDA constituents, such as the Hindustan Awam Morcha led by Jitan Ram Manjhi, Lok Janshakti Party led by Chirag Paswan, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha, are anticipated to acquire 2, 5, and 2 percent vote share respectively. Collectively, they are expected to contribute 12-16 seats to the NDA, bringing their total to 147-167 seats.

For the Mahagathbandhan, parties like CPI(ML), CPI, CPI (M), and Vikassheel Insaan Party are projected to gather 9 percent vote share, leading to approximately 10-18 seats. When combined, the grand alliance is likely to settle around the 70-90 seats mark.

Additionally, Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj is expected to make a notable impact in its debut with a 5 percent vote share, while Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM is estimated to achieve 1 percent vote share.

While Jan Suraaj is anticipated to win 0-2 seats, the AIMIM might secure victories in 2-3 constituencies.

Other parties combined are projected to earn 9 percent vote share, resulting in approximately 0-5 seats.

These vote percentage and seat share projections from the IANS-Matrize Exit Polls carry a margin of error of ±3 percent. Over 66,000 individuals were surveyed, including over 31,000 males, over 19,000 females, and over 15,000 young voters, with data collected until November 11—the date of the second phase of polling, which saw a record voter turnout.