With trends suggesting a big win for the NDA in Bihar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday claimed the assembly election results were not shocking as the Election Commission and BJP worked hand in hand to carry out their "national agenda".
He also said the Bihar election results followed the "pattern" of the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls, in which the ruling Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP registered a thumping victory.
The BJP-led NDA appeared to register a landslide victory in Bihar, opening up impressive leads in more than 180 of the state's 243 assembly seats, with early trends also indicating that the saffron party was on track to post its biggest tally.
In a post on X, Raut claimed the results followed the "Maharashtra pattern", a reference to the 2024 election results where the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was wiped out.
"There is no need to be shocked by the Bihar Assembly election results. Looking at the national agenda being carried out hand-in-hand by the Election Commission and the BJP, a different outcome than this was simply not possible. This is exactly like the Maharashtra pattern," he said.
Raut further alleged that the alliance which was expected to come to power "has been pushed below 50 seats", he said.