Is Bihar going the BJP way?

The BJP seem to be inching close to the victory mark in Bihar, if the latest opinion polls are any indication. From a neck-to-neck almost tie kind of public mood of last month, the BJP seem to be gaining groun in Bihar.

A survey conducted in the last week of September by Lok Niti and Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) showed that the BJP is a clear four percentage points ahead in what is being seen as a straight fight between the BJP-led NDA and the Nitish-Lalu combine.

In a straight contest, even one percent could be decisive and 4 percentage points is a clear lead. Interestingly, the spoiler parties like the Samajwadi Party, Pappu Yadav, Left and the BJP seem to be no contenders at all. The MIM may not win any seat, but could pick up quite a few votes.

Earlier, both the BJP and the Lalu-Nitish combine appeared neck and neck with both parties projected to win 105 and 101 seats respectively. But, the latest survey says the BJP combine could get 42 per cent votes while, while the Nitish combine is likely to get 38 per cent votes. While the BJP is making inroads into the Dalit and OBC vote, while keeping its upper caste base in tact, Nitish combine seems to be losing Muslim votes to non-BJP rivals.