The BJP-JD(U) combine won 40 of 51 Assembly segments in seven minority concentrated districts (MCDs) of Bihar -- Araria (41.2% Muslim population), Kishanganj (67.8%), Purnea (36.9%), Katihar (42.8%, Sitamarhi (21.2%), West Champaran (21.5%) and Darbhanga (22.8%).

The RJD- LJP combine, on the other hand, managed only five seats from these districts.The BJP alone took 27 seats in these districts while 13 went to the JD (U).
The victory margin of BJP-JDU candidates in most constituencies -- barring 12 constituencies -- was over 10,000 votes.
The Congress, which had come out with a special programme for 90 MCDs across the country after the Sachar Committee report on the plight of Muslims, won only three seats in these 51 segments.
The RJD too managed only three seats while ally LJP of Ram Vilas Paswan, who quit the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre after the Gujarat riots, had to make do with two seats. Among the victors from the MCDs were three Independents.
That Lalu's M-Y politics is no longer a match-winner can also be gauged from the fact that the RJD stood second in only 17 constituencies while LJP managed the No. 2 position in only eight.
There was some consolation for the Congress though -- the party came second in eight constituencies while Sharad Pawar's NCP stood second in four. Women in Bihar too turned out in strength to vote this time. The overall voting percentage went up to 52.4 per cent from 45.85 per cent in October 2005.
Women participation stood at 54.85 per cent as against 50.77 per cent recorded for men in this election. This is a clear departure from the past -- women participation in October 2005 was 44.49 per cent as against 47.02 per cent for men.
While there are no statistics to suggest that women turned out to vote in favour of the Nitish Kumar-led combine, it is being pointed out that his government reserved 50 per cent seats for women in local panchayats and offered bicycles to high school girls.
Source: The Indian Express

The absolute-majority verdict left no other option for Opposition parties and leaders, including Lalu Prasad Yadav, but to go back to the drawing board and introspect. By early afternoon, Nitish Kumar - along with the BJP - had sprinted past the Opposition, widening the gap as the day progressed.
The NDA alliance finally won 207 seats in the 243-member Assembly. Of these, the JD(U) bagged 116 seats and the BJP 91. On the other hand, the RJD-LJP alliance suffered major reverses bagging only 24 seats -- the RJD 21 and LJP 3. The alliance had 64 last time.
Congress too had a major setback winning only 4 seats compared to the 9 it had won in 2005. Others, including Independents, won 8 seats. Nitish Kumar and his government will be sworn in on Friday at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna, party sources said.
The emphatic mandate for Nitish Kumar declares that Bihar has finally transcended its caste politics and voted for an administration that provided good governance. Two things that aptly describe this victory are improved law and order in the state and good roads.
The caste configuration of the RJD-LJP and Lalu's trite slogans of Dalit pride has fallen by the wayside, analysts said. LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan might well be completely marginalised in Bihar politics, they feel.
Lalu Prasad Yadav has also lost the support of the Muslim community which has voted en masse for the JD(U), irrespective of its alliance with the BJP. This has very little to do with the fact that Nitish put his foot down on the possibility of Narendra Modi campaigning for the BJP, political analysts feel. "Narendra Modi is not a factor in Bihar politics," they said, adding, "Muslims have voted only for Nitish Kumar."
To add some Rabri insult to Lalu's injury, the former chief minister has lost in both seats she contested from -- Raghopur and Sonepur. The Congress had hoped to ride on Rahul Gandhi's charisma but could not make a dent again.
After the landslide win, Nitish Kumar first thanked the women of the state saying they have contributed more to his victory. He said the government's hard work has paid off and that the mandate proves the people have voted for development and progress in Bihar. "We have been among the people. This means a lot still needs to be done. The work must go on," he said.
He added: "I didn't have a magic wand to force this victory. We have the trust of the people and the will to work harder." He said the verdict marks a "new story" for Bihar and it will have its effects outside the state too. The poll verdict will be a disappointment for those politicking on the basis of caste in Bihar, he said, adding the people no longer want to go back to the "age of darkness".
Nitish Kumar also asserted that the alliance between JD(U) and BJP will continue in Bihar. "The alliance will continue and both will share power," a beaming Kumar told reporters.
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said Bihar has voted to change its future. He said Nitish and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi gave people hope; their work washed away the fear and despair people had felt during the previous reigns.To add some Rabri insult to Lalu's injury, the former chief minister has lost in both seats she contested from -- Raghopur and Sonepur. The Congress had hoped to ride on Rahul Gandhi's charisma but could not make a dent again.
After the landslide win, Nitish Kumar first thanked the women of the state saying they have contributed more to his victory. He said the government's hard work has paid off and that the mandate proves the people have voted for development and progress in Bihar. "We have been among the people. This means a lot still needs to be done. The work must go on," he said.
He added: "I didn't have a magic wand to force this victory. We have the trust of the people and the will to work harder." He said the verdict marks a "new story" for Bihar and it will have its effects outside the state too. The poll verdict will be a disappointment for those politicking on the basis of caste in Bihar, he said, adding the people no longer want to go back to the "age of darkness".
Nitish Kumar also asserted that the alliance between JD(U) and BJP will continue in Bihar. "The alliance will continue and both will share power," a beaming Kumar told reporters.
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said Bihar has voted to change its future. He said Nitish and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi gave people hope; their work washed away the fear and despair people had felt during the previous reigns.
"When the alliance won in 2005, people dismissed it as a negative vote perpetuated by the anger the electorate felt towards the last regime. It is a positive vote this term," he said. Jaitley also took a dig at the Congress party which has fared dismally these elections.
"Today's victory is a message to national politics. Today's victory says meritorious leadership has triumphed over dynastic politics - the kind that depends on family glamour," he said.
Surprisingly, the BJP has made bold strides in the NDA alliance by winning 91 seats, a significant gain from its 55 last time. This also indicates that BJP has comparatively done better than the JD(U) these Bihar elections. The BJP, in fact, has swept urban Bihar.
"There is a new hope for Bihar. It reaffirms many political myths will go underground. The biggest myth is a Congress resurgence. Congress is no longer relevant in any part of the country," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javedekar said
The counting of votes for all 243 Assembly constituencies began this morning amid tight security. Counting for the Banka parliamentary constituency, where a by-election was held, began simultaneously at 8 am.
Counting was taken up in 42 centres, mostly in the district headquarter towns, where central paramilitary forces were deployed. A total of 3,523 candidates have been in the fray including 1,342 Independents.
In the outgoing House, the ruling parties JD(U) and BJP had 88 and 55 seats respectively. RJD and Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP had 54 and 10 respectively. Congress had 9 seats.
Have no magic wand, but people's trust: Nitish
Nitish Kumar today termed the victory of his NDA-JD(U) alliance as a victory for development and pledged to work harder in his second innings. "We have no magic wand, but people's trust. I will need to work harder than I did in the last five years and I will not hesitate," 59-year-old Kumar told a press conference here.
The poll verdict, he said, would disappoint those doing politics on the basis of caste and the mandate would mark a "new story" in Bihar and have its effect outside the state. "The outcome of the elections also proves beyond doubt that it is a victory for development and for the people of the state," he said.
In a veiled attack on the RJD-LJP alliance and the Congress, Kumar said, "It is unfortunate that these people have not seen the writing on the wall. The trends are positive and reflects that those making false claims or promises will face the music."
Without naming RJD chief Lalu Prasad who had criticised the exit polls predicting a victory for the NDA, Kumar said, "Media should not be criticised for its projection that NDA will pull off a landslide victory in Bihar. People should refrain from unnecessary criticism of the media... if you live up to people's aspirations and expectations, you will definitely be rewarded," Kumar said.
"Now I feel the people have thrust on my shoulder more responsibilities and I have to continue to make efforts with full dedication." Kumar noted there has been massive improvement in the law and order situation in the state in the past five years of NDA rule.
Pointing out there were only stray incidents of violence during the staggered polls spread over a month, he thanked the Election Commission for its efforts to ensure a fair and peaceful voting.
Kumar said the Commission will definitely realise there was a change on the law and order front in the state.
Source: Agencies

Sources said effecting a leadership change in the state is one of the options under "serious consideration." The party top leadership went into a huddle and after a three-hour brainstorming decided to summon the Karnataka BJP leadership, including the CM to Delhi for "consultations".
The view gaining ground in the party -- and being reinforced by the CM's critics who are smarting after his recent victory during the no-confidence motion -- is that his continuance opens the BJP to the charge of double standards.
While the central leadership decided to sit up and take notice, the Yeddyurappa government decided to order a judicial probe into the denotification of government acquired land over the last 10 years. The Chief Minister is facing allegations of nepotism after it came to light that plots of government land were denotified and allotted to members of his family.
The decision to order a probe was taken at a cabinet meeting. "With the Congress and JD(S) making consistent allegations over land denotification, the government has decided to order a judicial probe of all denotifications of the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board or any others over the last 10 years. The terms of reference and the panel will be announced later," Primary Education Minister Vishweshwar Kaggeri said.
Kaggeri said the Chief Minister's work has been appreciated and that the question of him quitting never came up at the cabinet meeting. The central leadership, sources said, decided to know the mind of the state unit before taking a final call. After holding consultations with the top state leaders, sources said an observer could be sent to Bangalore the know the views of the MLAs as well.
Even as the state government discussed the judicial probe, the opposition Janata Dal (S) filed a complaint of corruption and nepotism against the Chief Minister before the Karnataka Lok Ayukta and sought a probe into all denotifications carried out by the Yeddyurappa government.
"We filed a 580-page complaint before Lokayukta with specific allegations against the Chief Minister for denotifying valuable government land to favour members of his family, including his sons B Y Raghavendra and B Y Vijay Kumar, son-in-law Sohan Kumar and some others," JDS MLC Y S V Datta said. He claimed that the denotification scam amounted to Rs 5000 crore.
He has sought a probe on denotification of 180 acres in 78 cases since the BJP came to power in June 2008. Yeddyurappa has abused his position of power by causing a loss to the state exchequer, the complaint says. "The Chief Minister should resign and order a probe if he has any moral authority. He cannot get away by saying these things will not be repeated," said JD(S) legislator M C Nanaiah.
In the midst of a full-blown crisis, Yeddyurappa took time off to visit a temple in Mysore and claimed to have made a promise not to repeat his mistakes. "'I have promised Lord Nanjundeshwara that I will not commit the same mistakes again," Yeddyurappa said.
Source: The Indian Express

The announcement of Prithvi Chavan's name was made by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi on Wednesday.

A man with clean image and a staunch loyalist of the Gandhi family, Prithviraj Chavan succeeds Ashok Chavan who had to demit office in the wake of the Adarsh Society scam
Well-ensconced in New Delhi, AICC general secretary and Union Minister Prithviraj Chavan, though an efficient administrator who also enjoys a clean image, may not have the backing of state legislators. He is considered close to both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, and is said to coordinate between 7 RCR and 10 Janpath.
Congress sources said hours after Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan was asked by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to submit his resignation to Governor K Sankarnarayanan, Union Ministers Prithviraj Chavan and Sushil Kumar Shinde appeared to be locked in the race to be his successor.
Late on Tuesday evening, the Congress Legislature Party, in the presence of central observers Pranab Mukherjee and A K Antony, passed a one-line resolution authorising the Congress president to pick the new chief minister of Maharashtra.
The Congress's coalition partner, the NCP, was learnt to be finalising a succession plan of its own. Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal is likely to be replaced by Ajit Pawar. Senior NCP leaders including Union Minister Praful Patel and veterans D P Tripathi and Tariq Anwar are scheduled to attend the NCP Legislature Party meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday in which Bhujbal's successor is likely to be picked, sources said.
Earlier on Tuesday, in a clean-up act clearly aimed at pre-empting the Opposition from raising the issue of alleged irregular allotments in the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society in Mumbai and alleged corruption in the Commonwealth Games, Sonia Gandhi decided to accept the resignation of Chief Minister Chavan. She also got CWG Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi to quit the post of secretary, Congress Parliamentary Party.
Chavan had earlier offered his resignation to the Congress president in the wake of the controversy over the allotment of flats to his relatives in Adarsh. The Congress high command asked Mukherjee and Antony to submit a report, buying time before the visit of President Barack Obama to Mumbai. Chavan was asked to resign shortly after Obama flew out of India this morning.Party general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who usually refrains from commenting on intra-party affairs, spelt out the criteria for Chavan's successor. He told reporters at Parliament House that the next CM should be "capable and (someone who) can deliver". Asked if the next CM has to be "clean", he said, "Of course".
Rahul's comments could have a bearing on Shinde's prospects. The Union Power Minister was chief minister of Maharashtra when Adarsh was given final clearance. One of his associates was also reported to have got a flat in the building. On Tuesday evening, there was apprehension in Congress circles that his return as CM could hand more ammunition to the Opposition.
Sources said former Union Minister Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil's advanced age -- he is 78 -- could go against him, as could the fact that he was a Shiv Sena Minister in the NDA government. Sonia Gandhi was learnt to have spoken to NCP chief Sharad Pawar earlier in the day. Both leaders were said to be disinclined to hand over the reins of the government of such a crucial state to a former Shiv Sena man.
State Agriculture Minister Balasaheb Thorat had "only an outside chance, if at all", sources said.
Earlier, Mukherjee had indicated that Chavan's resignation had been accepted on the basis of "perception". "I am not going to make a value judgement. It was not a regular inquiry commission... We went on certain aspects. Political decisions are taken many times on perception and based on certain facts," he said in New Delhi.
Source: India Syndicate and Indian Express