New Delhi: An NDTV-Indian Express Exit Poll last night (Oct 13, 2004) predicted a fractured verdict in Maharashtra with the ruling Congress-NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) alliance getting 120 to 130 of the 288 Assembly seats and BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)-Shiv Sena combine bagging 125 to 135 seats, the rest going to 'others' who would play a key role in Government formation.

The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance was shown to have performed better than the ruling alliance in the Marathwada, North Maharashtra and Konkan regions, while they were neck and neck in Vidarbha and Mumbai regions.

In the largest belt of West Maharashtra, a stronghold of NCP, the ruling alliance appeared to be still a dominant force.

The NDTV-Indian Express Mode Poll in 100 constituencies covered a sample size of 57,592 voters.

With rebels likely to queer the pitch for the ruling alliance, the exit polls showed Congress-NCP combine getting only 6-10 seats out of 48 in the backward Marathwada region compared to 30-34 seats by BJP-Shiv Sena combine and the rest going to others.

Similarly, in the North Maharashtra region, which accounts for 36 seats, Congress-NCP is pegged at 9-13 seats and BJP-Shiv Sena at 18-22, with the remaining going to others.

In Konkan region, the ruling alliance is projected to bag 9-13 out of 30 seats, BJP-Shiv Sena 13-17 seats and the rest credited with others.