Modi: Democracy has once again won in Bihar

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies have won a key state election in Bihar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s  BJP and his regional ally Janata Dal United won 125 seats of Bihar state’s 243-seat legislature, India’s election commission website showed.

A coalition of more than three political parties opposed to the incumbent alliance was trailing with 110 seats.

“Democracy has once again won in Bihar with the blessings of the people,” Modi said in a tweet.

The election seen as a barometer of Modi government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic downturn.

The counting process took much longer than usual as more electronic voting machines were deployed to avoid crowding in polling centers in an effort to halt the spread of coronavirus.

Bihar in eastern India is its second-most populous state. Control of the key electoral battleground was seen as a referendum on Modi’s popularity.

Modi’s party and his alliance partner were pitted against the resurgent Rashtriya Janata Dal party, led by a 31-year-old Tejashwi Yadav.

The young leader campaigned in an alliance with the Indian National Congress, the country’s main opposition party, and some left-leaning parties.