'Desh mein Modi ka parbhav ghat gaya hai.'
Janata Dal-United MLA Gopal Mandal on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. declared that the National Democratic Alliance would win 30 to 32 of Bihar's 40 Lok Sabha seats this election.
"Desh mein Modi ka parbhav ghat gaya hai," Mandal added, indicated that Narendra Modi's popularity has declined in the country.
These remarks may surprise many as Mandal is not a leader of the Opposition Mahagathbandhan, but of the JD-U, a major ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Bihar.
Mandal's estimate of the NDA tally is contrary to what senior BJP leaders and its allies claim -- that the NDA will all 40 seats in Bihar.
The BJP is contesting 17 seats, the JD-U 16 seats and Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) 5 seats. Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Upendar Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha are contesting one seat each.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal is contesting 23 of the state's 40 Lok Sabha seats, its ally, the Congress 9 seats, the Left parties 5 seats and the Vikassheel Insaan Party 3 seats.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP-led NDA won 39 of Bihar's 40 seats. The Congress won the Kishanganj seat. The RJD did not win a single seat.
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
