A day before the Bihar election results, posters featuring CM Nitish Kumar with the slogan 'Tiger abhi zinda hai' appeared outside the JD(U) office. The posters, put up by JD(U) leader Ranjit Sinha, call Kumar the protector of all communities.
A new poster featuring Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with the slogan 'Tiger abhi zinda hai' (the tiger is still alive) has created a buzz in Patna just a day before the assembly election results. The posters appeared outside the Janata Dal (United) office on Thursday and immediately drew public and media attention. Former Bihar minister and JD(U) leader Ranjit Sinha released the poster. It reads, "Protector of Dalits, Mahadalits, backward classes, upper castes, and minorities - Tiger abhi zinda hai." The slogan is seen as a strong message from the ruling JD(U) camp that Nitish Kumar remains politically active and strong.
Slogan follows health debate during campaign
The posters come after opposition parties, especially RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, questioned Nitish Kumar's health and his ability to continue leading the state. During the campaign, Yadav repeatedly mentioned Kumar’s age and health, making it one of the key issues of the election. The 'tiger' slogan appears to be a direct response to those questions, presenting Nitish as energetic and ready to lead again.
NDA confident after exit poll predictions
As multiple exit polls pointed towards a comfortable win for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, its leaders expressed confidence that the ruling alliance would form the next government. Union Minister Nityanand Rai said the exit polls reflected people’s faith in the NDA government and its leadership. “The voice of the people and their approval for the NDA are visible in these exit polls,” Rai told reporters. “We believe the NDA will win even more seats than predicted. The people have supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and Nitish Kumar’s good governance.” Bihar Minister Santosh Kumar Suman, the national president of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), also said that people trusted the NDA’s development work. “People’s confidence can be seen in their votes. We believe we will get more seats than shown in the surveys,” he added.
Opposition rejects exit polls as inaccurate
Leaders from the opposition Mahagathbandhan dismissed the exit poll results, calling them speculative and unreliable. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said the surveys were an attempt to create confusion while real feedback from the ground showed that the opposition alliance was winning. “The BJP and NDA are nervous. People waited in long queues till evening to vote for change. Even before voting ended, exit polls began to appear,” Yadav said at a press conference. Congress MP Tariq Anwar also argued that exit polls are not accurate indicators. “Exit polls are only guesses. They show what might happen, not what will. We should wait for the real results,” he stated.
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Exit poll figures show NDA edge
Several agencies predicted that the NDA would return to power with a clear majority.
- People’s Pulse: NDA 133-159 seats, Mahagathbandhan 75-101, Jan Suraaj 0-5, others 2-8.
- Axis My India: NDA 121-141 seats, Mahagathbandhan 98-118, Jan Suraaj 2 seats.
- Today’s Chanakya: NDA 148-172 seats, Mahagathbandhan 65-89, others 3-9.
- People’s Insight: NDA 133-148 seats, Mahagathbandhan 87-102.
- JVC Survey: NDA 135-150 seats, Mahagathbandhan 88-103.
BJP workers begin celebration preparations
In Patna, BJP and NDA workers have already begun preparing for celebrations, confident of victory. Party members have ordered 501 kilograms of laddoos to distribute once the results are announced. “Exit polls have confirmed what people already know, NDA will return to power with Nitish Kumar leading again,” said BJP worker Krishna Kumar Singh. “We will share the laddoos with all those who supported us.” At JD(U) candidate Anant Kumar Singh’s residence, workers have started decorating the premises, setting up tents and chairs for supporters expected to gather on result day.
Results to be declared on November 14
The counting of votes for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly will take place on November 14. The main contest is between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. In the 2020 election, the NDA had won 125 seats and the Mahagathbandhan 110. This year’s results will decide whether Chief Minister Nitish Kumar continues to lead the NDA government or whether the opposition alliance manages to stage a surprise comeback.
(With ANI inputs)
