The INDIA bloc - consisting of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Congress, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal - has crossed the majority mark in the Assembly election in that state. The BJP took an early lead after the counting of votes began at 8 am, but Chief Minister Hemant Soren's JMM, which expressed confidence it would form the government again, fought back slowly and steadily. At 3:30 pm INDIA was ahead in 57 of the state's 81 seats. The NDA was ahead in 23.