Bihar will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, with counting scheduled for November 14 , the Election Commission announced on Monday. As the poll calendar is now official, the state is witnessing a sharpening political churn.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition INDIA bloc are racing to finalise seat-sharing deals, but anxious days lie ahead with internal tensions bubbling just under the surface.

The electoral contest is largely expected to be a direct fight between the incumbent NDA, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the Mahagathbandhan led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the NDA currently holds 131 seats — BJP 80, JD(U) 45, HAM(S) 4, and two Independents. The Mahagathbandhan holds 111 — RJD 77, Congress 19

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