Nitish to be near halfway mark on own: Survey

NEW DELHI: The National Democratic Alliance led by Mr Nitish Kumar is coasting towards a massive victory in Bihar, according to an opinion poll conducted by STAR News-Nielsen. JD(U)-BJP combine is expected to get 170 seats — 27 seats more than they won in the 2005 polls, the study said. In the 2005 assembly elections, JD(U)-BJP alliance won with a 36.1% vote share.

Five years on, the alliance seems to be consolidating its position with an improved vote share of 41% — a swing of almost 5% in its favour. If the poll findings turn out to be correct, JD(U) on its own will be just 3 short of the halfway mark in the 243 member assembly. This also reconfirms the growing feeling that Mr Kumar is the pivotal figure of the state election.

His ally BJP seems to be shedding some weight as it is expected to get only 50 seats. This is five seats less than its 2005 tally. This could possibly be explained as due to infighting within the party. State BJP president Mr C P Thakur went to the extent of putting in his resignation when the party refused to accommodate his son in Bankipur.

Mr Lalu Prasad, who has declared that it is a do or die battle, the survey says, will be relegated to a distant third with 28 seats. His ally, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, who has been claiming that he will play king maker, will end up getting just 6 seats. LJP is contesting 75 seats.

According to the opinion poll, Congress will have a 4% hike in its vote share and is likely to end up with 22 seats. Congress had just 9 MLAs in the outgoing assembly. If the poll is any indicator, Congress is the biggest beneficiary of RJD’s anticipated meltdown.