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LUCKNOW: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s coalition retained power in Bihar state, results showed on Wednesday, in what was a referendum on Modi's handling of COVID-19 and which may boost his chances in three more state elections next year.
Modi's coalition won a fourth straight term in Bihar, the third-most populous state and one of the poorest in India, the country which has recorded more than 8.5 million COVID-19 cases, the world's second-highest tally after the United States. The alliance led by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 125 seats in the 243-member Bihar assembly, Election Commission data showed after counting started on Tuesday.