India, Nov. 14 -- Counting of votes for the two-phase Bihar Assembly elections will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan remain locked in a close contest for the 243-member House, where the majority mark is 122.

Early projections indicate the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may emerge as the single largest party, strengthening its position within the NDA.

Exit polls suggest the BJP could secure 67-70 seats, ahead of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which is projected to win 56-69 seats.

This would be a decline from the RJD's 2020 tally of 75 seats but signals a shift in Bihar's political landscape.

The Janata Dal (United), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is expected to win 58-71 se...