Five factors – the sway of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, high voter turnout, vote swing against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), declining vote share of the BJP and talks of reservation and Pakistan by the BJP leaders – ensured a sweeping victory for the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar.

The alliance – including the Janata Dal (U), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress – trounced the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by winning 178 out of the 243 Bihar assembly seats for which results were announced today.