Votes will be counted for Bihar elections on Sunday.
Polling in the closely-fought Bihar elections has ended. The fifth and final phase today saw tens of thousands of people queued up to vote through the day and by 4 pm, with an hour of voting left, almost 56 per cent people had voted.
Here are the latest developments:
Final figures are yet to be announced, but this year's election has so far recorded the best voter turnout in years. A highlight has been the big turnout of women voters.
The BJP, which hopes to unseat the Nitish Kumar government, assesses that a higher voter turnout means a vote for change.
The rival Nitish Kumar camp, which calls itself the "Grand Alliance," contends that a higher voter turnout means that people want to ensure the BJP is kept away.
Elections were held today for 57 of Bihar's 243 assembly seats in what are known as the Seemanchal, Mithilanchal and Kosi regions today.
Seemanchal is Muslim-dominated and the Nitish Kumar-led Grand Alliance hopes to consolidate its Muslim-Yadav votebank in the fifth phase.
The BJP hopes to hold on to Mithilanchal, not really a party stronghold, but which voted for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP has projected no one as chief minister and its campaign was fronted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who addressed over 30 rallies in the state. The party has tied up with three regional parties.
The Grand Alliance brings together Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who is seeking a third term, and Lalu Prasad of the RJD. The Congress is a junior partner.
The campaign for the five-phased election was shrill and bitter, with both sides hurling allegations and strong words against each other right till the last minute.
Votes will be counted on Sunday, November 8.
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