Poll strategist Prashant Kishor had campaigned extensively across Bihar in order to galvanise support for his Jan Suraaj Party (JSP). However, it seems his efforts went in vain, as his party will unlikely make an impact in the 2025 assembly elections in the state if the exit polls were to be believed.
According to the exit poll conducted by India TV in collaboration with Matrize, the Jan Suraaj will unlikely open its account in the state or win a maximum of two seats. Its vote share is also expected to be around 5 per cent.
Notably, this is what exactly Kishor - who successfully formulated the election campaigns of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2020 Delhi polls and Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 2021 West Bengal elections - had predicted in run up the assembly elections. In an interview with a news channel, the election strategist had said either his party will be "at the zenith" or "on the floor".
"I can see two probabilities. People have seen Jan Suraaj as an alternative, but voting requires a leap of faith. People need a leap of faith because of the prolonged phase of hopelessness," Kishor had said, adding that his party will either win just 10 seats or more than 150 seats.
If the actual result fall in line with what the India TV-Matrize exit poll predicted, then Kishor might have to rethink his strategy. Though, one must note that exit polls often go wrong.
NDA set to retain Bihar
Meanwhile, the India TV-Matrize exit poll has predicted that the NDA will retain power in Bihar, winning somewhere between 147 and 167, with a 48 per cent vote share. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal United (JDU) may win around 65-73 and 67-75 seats, respectively.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) may win seven to nine seats, while Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Manch (RLM) will likely win one or two seats. Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) may win four or five seats, the India TV-Matrize exit poll predicted.
The counting of votes in Bihar will take place on November 14.
