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Close contest in Bihar assembly polls

George Iype in New Delhi

The ruling National Democratic Alliance had some mixed fortunes in the first round of state assembly elections after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee took over the reins at the Centre five months ago.

The Biju Janata Dal and the Indian National Lok Dal, the NDA partners, have put up sterling performances in Orissa and Haryana respectively. But the Vajpayee coalition's combined might just failed to curb Rashtriya Janata Dal president Laloo Prasad Yadav's political clout in Bihar.

Results from Bihar had the NDA combine and the RJD in a close contest, and BJP leaders admitted that their calculations have gone awry in the state.

Prime Minister Vajpayee said the party will examine the reasons for the NDA's poor performance. Vajpayee, Home Minister L K Advani and other NDA partners also sat together later to try and ensure that it will be the coalition and not the RJD that rules in the state.

"Yes, the poll result in Bihar is not according to our calculations. But the NDA will be able to form the government as we will emerge as the single largest combine in the state," BJP spokesperson Venkaiah Naidu told rediff.com.

But he admitted that the formation of a NDA government in Bihar "will not as easy as those of in Orissa and Haryana." If things go according to the NDA's plans, BJD leader Naveen Patnaik and INLD president Om Prakash Chautala are expected to be sworn in as chief ministers of Orissa and Haryana respectively in a day or two.

But the BJP leadership and other NDA partners are waiting for the game plan that Laloo Yadav would play in the next two days. Though the RJD's share of seats has come down considerably, the pollsters who had predicted a whitewash for the party has been proved wrong.

RJD MP and Laloo Yadav's close aide M A A Fatmi said the election result is in his party's favour for two reasons: "First, we fought the elections alone without any major allies, unlike the last time. Secondly, the BJP, the Congress and all other parties wanted to annihilate our party. But we have survived and come out victorious."

He said since the RJD is emerging the single largest party in the state, the governor is bound to call the RJD to form the new government.

"We will form the government with the support of smaller parties and independents," Fatmi said.

RJD leaders said Laloo is now luring over many independents and smaller parties to join a new government that will either be headed by him or his wife and Chief Minister, Rabri Devi. Laloo Yadav has also begun speaking to senior Congress leaders about helping him form the government.

Congress leaders said the party leadership will assess the state assembly election results in the next two days and decide on whether to support Laloo Yadav.

"It is unlikely that we will support Laloo Yadav to form a government. But since it is going to be a hung assembly in Bihar, our decision is going to be crucial," a senior Congress leader said.

With a hung assembly a possibility, the various parties should soon make desperate attempts to reach the magic figure of 163 in the state assembly in the next few days.

Assembly Election 2000

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