Leaders of both the Grand Alliance and the NDA, on Wednesday, claimed that they would win the elections by a huge margin, after polling ended for the third phase of the Assembly elections.
According to the leaders of the Grand Alliance, the BJP-led NDA has already lost the election. Leaders from the NDA claimed the exact opposite and added that there was frustration building up within the opponents.
Both sides maintained that the people of Bihar had given them huge mandates. The NDA claimed that they would win 40 to 42 of the 50 seats while the Grand Alliance stuck firmly to the fact that they were going to win two-thirds of the total seats.
"The support from the people was extraordinary. People want a change and that is why they have voted for us. We will win 40 to 42 seats, according to ground level assessment. The NDA has done well in seats that do not traditionally belong to them. The first two phases were equally good for us," said Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
After the firsttwo phases of polling, the talk of the town was that the BJP had not done as well as the Grand Alliance candidates.
Ravi Shankar tried to play this down by claiming that the NDA had fared well in the first two phases.
Bihar BJP in-charge Bhupendra Yadav chose to attack RJD chief Lalu Prasad and chief minister Nitish Kumar, saying both had cheated the people of the backward caste by denying them the benefits of the Mandal commission.
LJP state unit president Pashupati Paras said the NDA would form the government. Danish Rizwan of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) accused Nitish and Lalu of cheating the minority community and promised that they would be treated on a priority basisafter the NDA came to power.
Rashtriya Lok Samata Party state unit president Arun Kumar said the leaders of the Grand Alliance were frustrated because they had sensed that the tide was turning and people's opinion was against them.
The JDU, RJD and Congress leaders slammed the NDA in the similar fashion.
JDU Rajya Sabha member Pavan Varma, RJD national spokesperson Manoj Jha and Chandan Yadav of the Congress claimed that the Grand Alliance was awaiting a landslide victory. Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee president Ashok Choudhary said despite aggressive campaigning by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the NDA did not stand a fighting chance.
"Like the first two phases, the third phase of polling indicates an impending landslide victory for the Grand Alliance by a huge margin," said Varma.
Manoj Jha of RJD said the Grand Alliance would get more than their expected share of seats.
"There was a fight earlier, but after the third phase it is now clear that it is a one sided game," Jha claimed.
On the other hand, the toil of continuous campaigning is catching up the leaders. Both Nitish Kumaar and Lalu Prasad face looked tired and jaded. The "unofficial" chief ministerial candidate of the NDA Sushil Kumar Modi complained that he had a bad throat. On Wednesday, he had to address seven public meetings besides holding a road show in Muzaffarpur. "I have heard good news. My congratulations in advance. I will come to your swearing in," said Maharashtra MP Ramdas Athawale.
Sushil also exuded confidence. "Who is saying that we are doing badly? Just a few English papers. Has any vernacular press indicated that we are doing badly? It's just an attempt to create a psychological advantage by one person," he said. "The numbers of women voters are larger because 50 lakh people from Bihar have migrated to other states in search of jobs. They send back money. But they leave women members of their family behind. It is not because Nitish Kumar provided cycles. Besides, a small number of women vote independently. Most vote the way their male members do," he added.
In Bagaha, former Union petroleum ministry secretary and BJP candidate R.S. Pandey turned into a politician. "People are being taught caste. Do you check the caste of a doctor when you go for treatment? Do you ask the caste of a lawyer when you go to fight a case in the court? Why do you ask a caste of your MLA?" asked Pandey to a large approving crowd.
