Bihar election result 2020 LIVE: According to initial trends, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) -- the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Janata Dal (United, and a few other parties -- is set to defy exit polls and retain power in Bihar. The BJP is leading in 72 seats, while Nitish Kumar's JD(U) is ahead in 49 Assembly constituencies. If these trends hold, the NDA should be able to get past the magic figure of 122 in the 243-member House. Meanwhile, in the Mahagathbandhan fold, the Tejashwi Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is ahead in 66 seats and the Congress in 21.

The counting of votes, which began at 8 am, is likely to continue late into the evening because of a staggering increase in the number of EVMs on account of the coronavirus pandemic. So far, only 20 per cent of the votes have been counted, according to the Election Commission of India.

Bihar Assembly Election 2020 is a direct contest between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan, or the 'grand alliance'. In Mahagathbandhan, the RJD is contesting in 144 seats, the Congress in 70, and Left parties in 29. In the NDA, the JD(U) is contesting in 115 seats and the BJP in 110.

A majority of the exit polls had projected that the Tejashwi Yadav-led Mahagathbandhan might have an edge over the NDA. However, if the initial trends are to be relied upon, the pollsters have got the Bihar result wrong once again.