Patna, Nov 14 (NationPress) Initial reports from the Election Commission of India (ECI) indicate that the BJP is taking the lead as the largest party in the Bihar Assembly elections, currently ahead in 87 out of 243 seats.

As of noon, the BJP is out in front in 87 seats, solidifying its status as the single largest party, while the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) is leading in 76 seats.

Both factions, part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), are vying for a win to re-establish a government under Nitish Kumar's leadership.

A mere hour earlier, at 11:00 a.m., the JD(U) was leading in 83 seats, with the BJP trailing at 78 seats.

The competition intensified within the next half hour as the allied parties battled closely for the title of the largest party.

Currently, the NDA is leading in 188 seats, with the Mahagathbandhan following at 47.

The counting process for all 243 Assembly seats kicked off at 8 a.m., starting with postal ballot scrutiny. This was followed by the counting of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) votes from 8:30 a.m., conducted under stringent multi-tier security across the state.

Candidates from both alliances expressed confidence in their electoral performance. NDA leaders claimed that the people of Bihar have shown their faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promises and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's efforts toward state development.

The Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD, asserted that Bihar had "voted for change" and expressed hope that Tejashwi Yadav would lead the next government.

The counting operations are being managed by 243 Returning Officers alongside an equal number of Counting Observers appointed by the Election Commission.

Over 18,000 counting agents representing various candidates are stationed at the centers to closely monitor the process.

Access to counting centers has been tightly controlled, allowing only those with valid passes, and mobile phones are strictly prohibited in counting halls.

This election saw participation from over 70 crore voters who cast their votes to determine the fate of both the ruling NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. Voting occurred in two phases, on November 6 and 11.

In the outgoing Assembly, the NDA holds 131 seats, which includes 80 from BJP, 45 from JD(U), 4 from HAM(S), and 2 Independents. The opposition bloc has 111 seats, with RJD holding 77, Congress 19, CPI(ML) 11, CPI(M) 2, and CPI 2.