Bihar Elections 2020 Exit Poll: Tejashwi-led RJD projected to be the single-largest party

Bankipur- Projected winner: BJP (Nitin Nabin)

Govindganj- Projected winner: BJP (Sunil Mani Tiwari)

Kishanganj- Projected winner: Congress (Izrahul Hussain)

Sikti- Projected winner: BJP (Vijay Mandal)

Madhepura- Projected winner: RJD (Chandrasekhar)

Click here for an in-depth view of the projections for the key seats. 

Imamganj- Projected winner: RJD (Uday Narayan Choudhary)

Dumraon- Projected winner: CPI-ML (Ajit Kumar Kushwaha)

Brahampur- Projected winner: RJD (Shambhu Nath Singh Yadav)

Raghopur- Projected winner: RJD (Tejashwi Yadav)

Hasanpur- Projected winner: RJD (Tej Pratap Yadav)

Click here for an in-depth view of the projections for the key seats. 

With RJD set to be the single-largest party, the Mahagathbandhan is projected to win 40-43% of the votes, while NDA is projected to win 37-39% of the votes. LJP is projected to win 7-9% of the votes, while others are projected to win 8-11% of the votes. Furthermore, the partywise vote-share is projected as such - RJD (24-26%), Congress (8-9%), Left (6.5 -8%), BJP (18-20%), JDU (15 -16%), HAM (1.5-2%), VIP (2%)

• NDA: 37-39%
• Mahagathbandhan: 40-43%
• LJP: 7-9%
• Others:8-11%

Mahagathbandhan:

• RJD: 24-26%
• Congress:  8-9%
• Left:  6.5-8%.  

NDA:

• BJP: 18-20%
• JDU: 15 -16%
• HAM: 1.5-2%
• VIP: 2%

Mahagathbandhan-

• RJD: 79-91 seats
• Congress: 24-30 seats
• Left: 15-17 seats [CPI(ML)- 12-14 seats, CPI(M)- 2 seats, CPI- 1 seat]

NDA-

• BJP: 60-75 seats
• JDU: 31-42 seats
• VIP: 0
• HAM: 0

Remaining parties-

• LJP: 5-8 seats
• AIMIM: 1 seat
• Others: 3-6 seats

The Mahagathbandhan is projected to win 118-138 seats defeating the NDA which is projected to win 91-117 seats, LJP is projected to win 5-8 seats, while others are projected to win 3-6 seats. As per Republic Jan Ki Baat Exit Polls, the party-wise projections stand as such - RJD (79-91 seats), Congress (24-30 seats), Left (15-17 seats), BJP (60-75 seats), JDU (31-42 seats). While AIMIM is projected to win one seat, HAM and VIP are set to not win a single seat.

• NDA: 91 to 117 seats
• Mahagathbandhan: 118 to 138 seats
• LJP: 5 to 8 seats
• Others: 3 to 6 seats

55.22% voter turnout recorded till 5pm in the third and last phase of Bihar assembly elections: Election Commission of India.

Polling concludes for Bihar assembly elections. Counting of votes on November 10. 

Polling passed off peacefully in four Naxal-affected constituencies of Valmiki Nagar, Ramnagar, Simri Bakhtiarpur and Mahishi amidst tight security arrangements. 
 

In Araria, RJD candidate from Jokihat seat, Sarfaraz Alam, turned up for voting with a party badge pinned in his shirt which may invite charges of violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Araria District Magistrate Prashant Kumar said the matter has come to his knowledge and lawful action would be initiated in the candidate.

Miscreants in Purnia district's Damdaha constituency clashed with BSP jawans who were asking voters to follow the COVID guidelines. 

Polling in 71 seats in the first phase and 94 seats in the second phase of Bihar assembly elections has been completed with voter turnout at 54.26 percent and 54.05 percent respectively. 

Incumbent Nitish Kumar is seeking reelection and is the CM face for the NDA. Mahagathbandhan has chosen Tejashwi Yadav as their CM face. The BJP is contesting on a seat-sharing formula of 121-122 seats with the JDU and Mukesh Sahni of Vikasheel Insaan party and Jitan Ram Manjhi of HAM(S), while LJP will contest solo. Mahagathbandhan comprising of Congress and three left parties have are contesting on seat-sharing formula of 144-70-29 seats respectively. 

There are two other alliances in the fray - Owaisi's AIMIM has stitched an alliance with Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSP, Mayawati's BSP, Devendra Yadav's SJDD, and SBSP called 'Grand Democratic Secular Front'. The alliance has fielded Kushwaha as the chief ministerial face. Another alliance named 'Progressive Democratic Alliance (PDA)', consist of Pappu Yadav's Jan Adhikar Party (JAP), Chandrashekhar Azad's Azad Samaj Party, MK Faizi's Social Democratic Party and Bahujan Mukti Party. They have made Pappu Yadav their CM face.

Saharsa: No parties in this year's poll have shied away from fielding musclemen. From Saharsa, don-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh's wife lovely Annad is contesting on a RJD ticket. She is pitted against BJP's Alok Ranjan Jha who won the seat in 2010. In 2005, Sanjeev Kumar Jha from BJP had defeated RJD's Shankar Prasad Tekriwal. However, in 2015, RJD stalwart Arun Kumar Yadav won by a margin of over 39,000 votes. Prime Miniter Modi wrapped up his Bihar election rally in Saharsa and came down heavily on RJD and opposers of 'Bharat mata ki jai' and 'jai shri ram'.

Lovely Anand cast her vote and accused that the administration is disrupting the poll process She siad that voting began only at 9 am and not 7 am. "We will inform the Election Commission," she added.

An old man was brought to a polling booth in Katihar on a cot, watch here:

Bihar Election LIVE Updates: The Kishanganj constituency is crucial as it is the first seat where Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM got their first seat in Bihar in the Lok Sabha polls. As many as 20 candidates are in the fray this time but the primary fight is between AIMIM's Kamrul Hoda, Congress' Izrahul Hussain and BJP's Sweety Singh.

A minority-dominated seat - in 2010 and 2015 Congress candidate Javed Azad had won in assembly polls but his mother lost in the Lok Sabha election. Citizenship Amendment Act has been a poll campaign issue in the area with a significant Muslim population. AIMIM chief Owaisi has spoken openly against it and addressing a rally in the Kochadhaman constituency in the Kishannganj district, on the last day of the campaign, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar slammed Opposition for spreading rumours in this regard.

On the day of the election, pictures from various poll booths in the district showed that COVID protocols were strictly followed and the EC felicitated the first-time voters.

Sharad Yadav's daughter - Subhashini Raj Rao - who joined the Congress party just ahead of polls, is contesting from Bihariganj and is pitted against two times JD(U) MLA Niranjan Mehta, Lok Janshakti Party candidate Vijay Kumar Singh and Prabhash Kumar of led Janadhikar Party (JAP). Though the seat is the tested turf of Madhepura, her father lost the two previous Lok Sabha polls from here. However, the Rao is banking on her father's popularity as the election posters in the constituency introduce her as Subhashini ‘Sharad Yadav’. 

CM candidate Pushpuram Priya Chaudhary, voted in the last phase of Bihar elections in booth number 277 of Darbhanga. 

Bihar election LIVE Updates: EVM at a polling station in Sitamarhi's Riga not functioning. 

Bihar elections LIVE updates: In 2015, when the BJP contested solo, and the RJD, Congress and JDU formed Mahagathbandhan, out of these 78 seats - BJP won 19, and Mahagathbandhan won 54 while the CPI(ML) won 1 and others won 4 seats.  

Bihar elections LIVE updates: CM candidate Pushpam Priya Choudhary makes a vote appealwho has launched her own party Plurals before elections appeals to voters to cast vote in large numbers. She has urged voters to "choose progress" and end "30 years of lockdown" in Bihar under Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar. 

Bihar elections LIVE updates: Purnea SP Rahul Kumar urges voters to cast vote in large numbers. "No need to be afraid of voting due to COVID pandemic. The polling stations have been sanitised and protocol is being followed. Exercise your right to vote," SP Rahul Kumar said.  

Bihar elections LIVE updates: Polling booths in Seemanchal (Purnea, Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar), Kosi (Supaul, Saharsa and Madhepura), Mithilanchal (Darbhanga & Madhubani) well equipped to follow COVID protocols 

Bihar elections LIVE updates: Mahagathbandhan CM candidate Tejashwi Yadav urges people of Bihar to be part of change and vote in the last phase of assembly elections. As the Seemanchal and MIthilanchal region votes on Novemebr 7, Tejashwi has said that the three rivers that flows in the area - Kosi, Ganga and Gandak - are flowing for a change. "Make sure to use your vote today for the golden future, all-round development, developed Bihar, peace, peace, establishment and change of the system and the creation of new Bihar in a new era. Cast your vote & Be a companion of change," Tejashwi tweeted in Hindi.

Bihar elections LIVE updates: BJP national president JP Nadda urges voters to exercise their franchise. Nadda has camapigned extensively in Bihar and has attacked the RJD for 'Jungle Raj' during 15 years of its rule. in his tweet, Nadda has also urged people to strictly follow the COVID protocols.

Bihar Elections LIVE Updates: Voting begins for by-election in Valmiki Nagar Parliamentary seat, following the demise of sitting JD(U) MP Baidyanath Mahato. 

Bihar Elections LIVE Updates: LJP chief Chirag Paswan claims that people are connecting with 'Bihar first, Bihari first' agenda. "I believe our performance will be good in this phase too. One thing is very clear Nitish Kumar Ji will never become the CM," he told to news agency ANI. 

Bihar elections LIVE updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people of Bihar to vote in large numbers in the last and final phase of Bihar assembly elections, and also instructed them to follow the COVID guidelines. "Today is the third and last phase of voting in Bihar assembly elections. I request all voters to participate in this holy festival of democracy in greater numbers and set a new voting record. And of course, be sure to wear masks and social distancing as well," Prime Minister Modi tweeted in Hindi.

In the final phase of Bihar assembly elections, NDA and UPA are in a direct contest, while the other alliances in the fray, particularly the 'Grand Democratic Secular Front' - led by AIMIM may make inroads in Bihar. Incumbent CM Nitish Kumar wants vote to shield the state from going back to Jungle Raj. Mahagathbandhan's CM candidate Tejashwi Yadav is banking on issues like migration, unemployment and voice of youth to bring change in Bihar. The other factor that may swing a few seats in the Mithilanchal and Seemanchal region that votes today is the presence of Pappu Yadav. With a significant Muslim population in the region, RJD and Congress have an edge, but BJP and JDU are giving a tough fight. 

ALL LIVE UPDATES ON BIHAR ELECTION AND FULL COVERAGE HERE