In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, "India's first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, laid the foundation of constitutional and democratic values in independent India through his visionary and fearless leadership, and provided the country with a new direction."
As the counting of votes began for the Bihar Assembly elections on Friday, early trends show the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) past the halfway mark of 122, strengthening its lead over the Mahagathbandhan.
"We will win by a two-thirds majority. Nitish Kumar will be the CM. The people who used to marginalise Nitish Kumar have now understood what he is," Choudhary, the Janata Dal (United) national general secretary, told ANI.
Within the NDA, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in 41 seats and has recorded a strike rate of 63.64 per cent. The Janata Dal (United), which had underperformed in the last election, is currently showing a stronger strike rate of 67.74 per cent.
"Umeed ke upar dunia kayam hai. We, too, are very hopeful. The administration's attitude has not been good. I had told them on the first day itself that their system is not good," the JKNC leader told ANI.
The counting for the Bihar polls across 243 constituencies began at 8 am under tight security arrangements. The postal ballot counting started first which will be followed by EVM counting at 8:30 am.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ajay Alok expressed confidence on Friday that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will return to power in the state.