The Mahagathbandhan was leading in 41 constituencies, while other parties were ahead in four.
The initial trends were broadly in line with exit poll forecasts, which had indicated an edge for the NDA over the opposition bloc.
Exit polls projected the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to win 67–70 seats, ahead of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which was expected to secure 56–69 seats.
This would mark a drop from the RJD’s 2020 tally of 75 seats but point to a shift in the state’s political landscape.
The Janata Dal (United), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was projected to win 58–71 seats, slightly behind the BJP in most estimates.
On average, exit polls placed the BJP at 69 seats, JD(U) at 62, and the RJD at 63, suggesting a close contest for the second position.
Nitish Kumar, Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister, stands to further strengthen his position if the final results align with early trends.