New Delhi: On the eve of the counting of votes in the Bihar Assembly elections, large posters outside the headquarters of Janata Dal (United) carried the message “Tiger abhi zinda hai (Tiger is still alive)”. As the counting commenced and early trends poured in, it became clear that those words were more than a slogan — they reflected the enduring political power of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Bihar.

In the trends, as shown by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is showing a commanding lead, with seats well above the majority mark of 122 in a 243-seat Assembly. NDA stands in the leading spot with over 200 seats (as per counting around 2.30 p.m.). The strong numbers reflect not only alliance arithmetic but also Nitish Kumar’s central ro

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