New Delhi:
NDTV's Exit Poll shows that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's decision to sever ties with the BJP over Narendra Modi's elevation may have backfired spectacularly. (
Full Coverage: NDTV's of Exit Polls)
Mr Kumar's Janata Dal United is set for a meltdown; its tally is expected to crash to four of Bihar's 40 seats. In 2009, it had won 20 seats in alliance with the BJP, which won another 12.
The BJP is expected to win 22 seats.
The BJP-led coalition's haul in Bihar is likely to be limited by Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal, or the RJD, which has struck a partnership with the Congress. The RJD-Congress combine is expected to win 14 seats, a big improvement from 2009, when the two fought separately. The RJD could then win only 4 seats, while the Congress got two.
A good performance by the Lalu-Congress combine could be attributed to the support of the state's 17 % Muslim voters and the Yadavs, who comprise 14% of the electorate.
The results of the parliamentary elections in Bihar is certain have a bearing on the assembly polls due next year.