Press Trust of India Posted online: Sunday, February 27, 2005 at 1835 hours IST Updated: Sunday, February 27, 2005 at 1837 hours IST
Patna, February 27: Laloo Prasad-led RJD, which has ruled Bihar for about a decade and a half, appeared to be yielding ground to its main rival NDA but a fractured mandate in the Assembly polls threw open the race for power with Lok Janashakti party poised to be the principal king-maker.
The BJP-JD(U) forged ahead bagging 44 of the 107 seats whose results were declared so far in the house of 243 and was leading in 16.
The BJP has secured 18 and JD (U) 26 seats.
The alliance led by RJD has pocketed 33 seats with RJD itself securing 29, CPI (three) and NCP (one).
LJP, headed by Ramvilas Paswan, won seven seats and led in 20 constituencies to emerge as the kingmaker.
Union minister and senior RJD leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh and party's national spokesman Shivanand Tiwari said they would approach Paswan for support.
Paswan, however, rejected outright any chance of his either lending or taking support from RJD or NDA and said he would prefer imposition of President's rule in case no combination was in a position to form government.
Congress has won seven, CPI-ML and samajwadi party (three each), BSP (two) and independents eight.
According to the latest trends, NDA is leading in 16, RJD and allies in 21, LJP (17), Congress (three), BSP and samajwadi party (one each) and CPI-Ml in two.
Chief minister Rabri Devi and speaker Sadanand Singh of Congress won Raghopur and Kahalgaon seats respectively but leader of the Opposition Upendra Prasad Singh of JD(U) finished a poor third at Jandaha.
