'Nitish will remain CM': JD(U)'s deleted post on next Bihar CM fuels buzz as NDA leads

A post on X by JD(U), now deleted, prematurely declared Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister of Bihar, sparking conversations about the future of the veteran socialist leader in light of the NDA’s decisive victory in the state assembly elections.

Posted on Friday, it read, "Unprecedented and unmatched, Nitish Kumar was, is, and will remain Chief Minister," affirming the party’s confidence despite an electoral battle marked by intense competition. However, minutes later, the post was deleted. 

The NDA appears to have surpassed its ambitious "200 paar" target, with early leads indicating a two-thirds majority in the 243-member Bihar Assembly. As the counting progressed, it became clear that the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), led by RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, faced a significant defeat.

The counting of postal ballots gave the Nitish Kumar-led NDA an early lead, and as the day unfolded, the BJP seemed to edge past JD(U), setting the stage for a tussle over dominance in the alliance. The BJP, which had demanded an equal seat share, now appeared to have outpaced its ally in the alliance.

The opposition alliance, on the other hand, seemed to be crumbling. The RJD, which had emerged as the single-largest party in the previous election, was on track to lose more than half of its seats. Its ally, Congress, also seemed to struggle, reinforcing the perception of a weakened opposition. Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party, which had been touted as a potential disruptor, found itself "farsh par" (on the floor), failing to make any significant impact.

With the NDA poised to dominate the assembly, Nitish Kumar, Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Minister, is likely to extend his reign, securing a fourth term. His leadership, bolstered by a strong performance in key constituencies, particularly in RJD bastions like Raghopur, highlights the failure of the opposition to resonate with voters.