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Voting over in Bihar, here’s how top leaders are spending their Sunday
Both chief minister Nitish Kumar and leader of the opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav stayed indoors. They met party leaders to take feedback about the polling trends in the third phase and exit poll predictions.
With the elections drawing to a close with the third and final phase of polls yesterday, it was a quiet day for Bihar’s big political leaders on Sunday as they all caught up with their family and friends even as the exit polls did cast its impact on the mood of rank and file of the ruling NDA and the opposition.
Both chief minister Nitish Kumar and leader of the opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav stayed indoors. They met party leaders to take feedback about the polling trends in the third phase and exit poll predictions.
“The chief minister spent the day meeting his friends and there was no political activity. He did not meet any political leaders of his party,” said a close aide of the CM, adding that the JD(U) president was upbeat and not worried about the exit poll results giving the grand alliance (GA) an advantage.
“The CM interacted with house personnel and family members and spent his day in leisure,” the aide added.
A sense of euphoria is visible in the RJD camp after the exit polls projected an advantage for the grand alliance in terms of seats compared to the NDA.
Large posters came up in the state capital at prominent places offering birthday greetings to Tejashwi. The 31-year-old leader’s birthday falls on November 9, a day before the state results will be announced.
RJD insiders said Tejashwi Yadav spent his day inside 10 Circular road residence allotted to his mother and former chief minister Rabri Devi and is not looking to celebrate his birthday tomorrow on a grand scale. The mood, however, is upbeat in the RJD’s first family.
“As the exit poll results have given encouraging trends, there are chances there will be a big gathering of party workers and leaders at the 10, Circular road residence to greet him. It will be a big day for Tejashwi as the opposition alliance is projected to be doing well,” said an RJD insider, wishing not to be quoted.
“There was not much activity today. Tejashwi spent his day with family and taking rest,” said Sanjay Yadav, a close aide of the RJD leader.
RJD state president Jagdanand Singh, who is considered a poll strategist, was busy at the state party office taking stock of the trends and speaking to district leaders.
“We are not going with the exit polls. The RJD led by Tejashwi has gone to the people and communicated the party’s vision. The public mood is encouraging. If we get a mandate, we will fulfil our commitments. We are waiting for November 10,” he said.
RJD’s national spokesperson Manoj Jha said the final tally of GA would go much beyond the numbers predicted by exit polls for the mahagathbandhan.
Meanwhile, the exit poll results seemed to have dampened the spirits of the JD(U) and BJP leaders a bit though they all put up a brave front.
“The exit polls have certainly caused some worries. But we are hopeful the NDA would do well and form a government,” said a senior JD(U) leader, wishing not to be quoted.
Some of the BJP leaders like health minister Mangal Pandey, state president Sanjay Jaiswal exuded confidence in the NDA getting a majority. “We are confident of getting seats above 150,” said Jaiswal.
Sources said deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi also spent his day with family and holding meetings with party leaders about the trends in the last phase of polling in 78 seats.
BJP’s Digha MLA Sanjeev Chourasia also spent time with his family and met workers of his constituency in the day, reports said. “It’s just a matter of one day. We will know the results on Tuesday. We are coming back to power,” he said.
On November 10, counting will begin at 55 centres in 38 districts across Bihar for the 243-member state assembly.
The initial trends of election results are expected to start coming in from 11 am onwards.
