Grand Alliance to get a thumping majority

Putting up a stunning show, the JD(U)-led grand alliance was today well on the road to gaining a thumping majority in the Bihar assembly and was set to defeat the BJP-led NDA convincingly.
Out of the trends available in the counting of votes for 220 seats, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led alliance is ahead in 142 of 243 seats up for grabs. A party or a formation needs 122 seats to get a simple majority in the House.
His party JD-U is ahead in 61 while its ally RJD led by Lalu Prasad is leading in 68 seats. The other partner Congress is ahead in 13 seats.

On the rival side, the NDA alliance was ahead in 68 seats. Its leader BJP was ahead in 57 seats, Lok Janshakti Party five, RLSP three and HAM (S) three. Independents were ahead in eight. CPI-(MLL)was ahead in one.
Senior minister Shyam Rajak is trailing at Phulwarisharif (reserved SC) seat in Patna district to his HAM rival.
At Imamganj (reserved SC seat) Jitan Ram Manjhi of HAM is leading over JD(U) rival Uday Narayan Chaudhary by 3,735 votes.

Counting is in progress at 39 counting centres in 243 counting halls.
A total of 243 observers from Election Commission have been deployed to supervise the counting process.

Initial trends on television channels projected the BJP to be in the lead.
In the last assembly polls in 2010, the JDU had won 115 seats while BJP won in 91 when both parties had an alliance. RJD had got 24 and Congress 5, contesting separately.