Tejashwi Yadav Emerges as Bihar's Most Popular Chief Minister Candidate
In a surprising development from the Bihar assembly elections, Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal has emerged as the most preferred choice for chief minister, according to exit poll results released by Axis My India on Wednesday, November 12. The survey reveals that Yadav, who serves as the chief ministerial face for the Mahagathbandhan alliance, secured support from 34 percent of respondents, significantly outpacing his closest rival.
NDA's Projected Victory Contrasts with CM Preference
Despite Yadav's strong personal popularity, most exit polls including the one conducted by Axis My India predict a clear victory for the National Democratic Alliance in the Bihar elections. The incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar trailed significantly in the popularity contest, managing to secure support from only 22 percent of respondents.
The survey results present an intriguing paradox where the NDA alliance is projected to form the government while its chief ministerial face ranks second in public preference. Any candidate from the BJP secured third position with 14 percent support, followed by other candidates collectively at 12 percent.
Seat Projections and Smaller Parties' Performance
According to the exit poll projections, the NDA coalition led by Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party is expected to secure between 133 and 167 seats in the 243-member Bihar legislative assembly. The majority mark required to form the government stands at 122 seats.
The opposition Mahagathbandhan, comprising the RJD, Congress, and Left parties, is projected to win between 73 and 102 seats. Among smaller parties, Chirag Paswan received support from 5 percent of respondents, while Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party managed to secure backing from 4 percent of those surveyed. Kishor's debutant party is projected to win between 0-5 seats in the assembly.
The election process concluded with Bihar witnessing a record-breaking voter turnout of nearly 69 percent in the second and final phase of polling on Tuesday. The extensive electoral exercise spanned nearly a month, with the ruling NDA defending its governance record against the opposition's campaign promising change and highlighting job creation as a key issue.
It's crucial to note that exit poll results have historically proven inaccurate on multiple occasions. The actual election results will be officially declared on November 14, providing the definitive outcome of this closely watched electoral battle.
