With the counting of votes in the Bihar Assembly elections set to take place on Friday, here are five things to watch out for in this keen contest between the incumbent NDA and the Opposition Mahagathbandhan.

Nitish’s leadership

Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar has long been the NDA’s face in Bihar. With the BJP and the JD(U) both allotted 101 seats as part of the NDA’s seat-sharing deal for the state’s 243 seats in the elections, the balance of power appeared to have shifted in the alliance, with the JD(U) no longer remaining the BJP’s senior ally. This indicated that even Nitish’s role may face scrutiny or challenge after the polls.

To retain his position as the NDA’s principal leader in Bihar, Nitish would be dependent on two things: the JD(U)’s own performance and

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