Bihar's Political Heir Questions Exit Poll Credibility
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav has strongly rejected the exit poll predictions for the Bihar 2025 assembly elections, dismissing them as mere "psychological pressure" tactics. The young political scion made these remarks during a press conference in Patna, just one day after multiple survey agencies projected a massive victory for the National Democratic Alliance.
Questioning the Survey Methodology
Yadav raised serious questions about the transparency of the exit poll process, pointing out that while people were still standing in long queues waiting to cast their votes as late as 6 or 7 PM, these surveys had already started predicting outcomes. "Yesterday, people stood in long queues during voting, even until 6 or 7 in the evening. People patiently waited to cast their votes. And while voting was still going on, exit polls started coming out," he stated.
The RJD leader specifically challenged the methodology behind these surveys, asserting that neither the sample size nor the criteria had been made public. "If you ask any of those showing these surveys about the sample size, none of them can tell you. Neither the sample size nor the criteria of the survey have been made public," Yadav emphasized during his address to journalists.
Confidence in Mahagathbandhan's Prospects
Displaying remarkable confidence despite the unfavorable projections, Tejashwi Yadav revealed that his alliance had collected ground feedback after the completion of voting procedures, and the information received had been "extremely positive." He went so far as to claim that the feedback this time was even better than what they received during the landmark 1995 Bihar state elections.
In a bold declaration, Yadav reiterated his earlier announcement about the oath-taking ceremony, stating "I had already said that the results will come on the 14th, and the oath ceremony will be held on the 18th." He expressed conviction that people had voted in large numbers against the NDA government and that a change in the state regime was inevitable.
Exit Poll Numbers vs Ground Reality
The exit polls released after the conclusion of two-phase voting in Bihar presented a consistent picture favoring the NDA:
- People's Pulse allocated 133-159 seats to NDA and 75-101 to Mahagathbandhan
- People's Insight predicted 133-148 seats for NDA and 87-102 for Mahagathbandhan
- JVC Survey projected 135-150 seats for NDA and 88-103 for Mahagathbandhan
- DVC Research forecasted 137-152 seats for NDA and 83-98 for Mahagathbandhan
Despite these overwhelming projections, Tejashwi Yadav maintained his characteristic composure, summarizing his position with the memorable phrase: "We neither live in false optimism nor in misunderstanding" (hum na survey mein khushfehmi mein rehte hai na galatfehmi mein rehte hai). His remarks set the stage for a dramatic results day on November 14, with the political future of Bihar hanging in the balance.
