Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leads in 22 of 29 contested seats (76% strike rate), including gains in Mahua, Bodh Gaya, and Bahadurganj; a leap from one seat in 2020.
Alliance ahead in 185 of 243 seats (BJP: 83, JD(U): 76, LJP(RV): 22, HAM: 4, RLM: 2) with 67.13% turnout.
Trends signal NDA stability, boosting Paswan's stature, counting at 46 centers with full results by evening, highlighting shifts in Bihar's caste and urban voter patterns.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is leading in 22 of the 29 seats it contested in the Bihar assembly elections, delivering a strong performance that bolsters the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) path to a comfortable majority. Vote counting for the 243-seat assembly, conducted in two phases on November 6 and 11, commenced at 8 a.m. across 46 centers in 38 districts, with postal ballots and Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) rounds progressing steadily under Election Commission oversight.
Voter turnout reached 67.13%, the highest in recent Bihar polls, reflecting robust participation amid campaigns focused on governance, caste dynamics, and welfare initiatives.
LJP (RV)'s results represent a significant rebound from 2020, when the party, then undivided, contested 137 seats independently amid a rift with JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar and secured only one victory. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it won all five allocated seats, setting the stage for this assembly surge. Paswan secured 29 seats during NDA negotiations,the largest share for a junior ally, targeting strongholds in central and western Bihar with candidates appealing to Dalits, Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), upper castes, and even Muslim-majority areas. Key leads include Sanjay Kumar Singh in Mahua (ahead by over 17,000 votes against RJD's Tej Pratap Yadav), Shyamdeo Paswan in Bodh Gaya (by 7,501 votes), and Mohammad Kalimuddin in Bahadurganj.
Counting involves over 4,372 tables and 18,000 agents, with security measures including central forces and surveillance. Early postal ballot trends at 10:10 a.m. showed LJP leading in 17 seats, climbing to 22 by noon as EVM rounds from divisions like Patna and Muzaffarpur unfolded. The party's strategy emphasized youth jobs, infrastructure, and the legacy of Paswan's father, Ram Vilas Paswan, while navigating Bihar's complex social equations. Analysts note this validates Paswan's NDA alignment, enhancing his influence in cabinet formations and future coalitions.
