A simple majority to form the government is 122. Modi’s party alone is forecast to take 95 seats.

A victory in Bihar, the country’s third-most populous state with nearly 130 million people, is crucial as it sends the fourth-highest number of lawmakers to the lower house of parliament.

Its control strengthens the party in power as the state is seen as a political bellwether, setting political trends across India’s Hindi-speaking heartland.

This year, the two-phase election was held amid widespread public concerns over unemployment, law and order, and alleged irregularities in revision of electoral rolls.

It saw hard-fought campaigns marked by mass rallies, aggressive welfare messaging and personal outreach to voters, both by Modi and his opponents.