PATNA, Nov 22: A major partner in India’s ruling coalition lost power in the key state of Bihar on Tuesday, a defeat analysts say may weaken the federal government and slow reforms.

The election for a new assembly in Bihar was crucial for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) — the second largest party in the Congress-led national government — that had ruled the state for 15 years.

In counting on Tuesday after voting spread over a month, it lost to a coalition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won 145 of the 243 seats.

The RJD, which won 65 seats with counting continuing in one constituency, conceded defeat.

“I accept the mandate, but the poor people have been fooled,” party leader and federal railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, a member of the lowly Yadav cowherd caste, told reporters.

“We will give full cooperation to the new government.”

Analysts said the result — the first major bounce-back since the BJP lost power in New Delhi last year — could have significant ramifications on the national government, which is also propped up by left-wing parties.

“A large bastion in northern India for the federal coalition has fallen,” political analyst Mahesh Rangarajan said. “This is important in terms of political geography and it will make the government vulnerable.”

Mr Rangarajan said defeat for the RJD could also see New Delhi’s communist allies step up pressure to slow free market reforms.

“A defeat would allow the leftists to reignite the debate over reforms, as they would cite the loss as the people’s rejection of the coalition’s free market policies,” he said.

Bihar has been under federal rule after polls in February led to a hung assembly that was subsequently dissolved. —Reuters