Once a group of about two dozen parties, the BJP-led NDA is now down to eight partners. The Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) became its latest constituent on Monday.

The main challenger to the ruling coalition of UPA, the NDA is pinning hopes on post-poll tie-ups to help it achieve the magic figure of 272 to be able to form the next government.

The joining of RLD is a major boost to it in western Uttar Pradesh. BJP chief Rajnath Singh is a candidate from Ghaziabad in the region. In UP, which sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha, the BJP, now down to a single-digit tally, needs to do well desperately to recapture power.

In the present scenario, parties as well as experts are finding it hard to predict poll outcome and none of the major formations is certain of emerging a clear winner. Both the Congress-led UPA and the NDA have lost strength over the years.

The NDA hopes to capitalise on anti-Congressism in most states, which would prevent regional parties from going with the UPA. Andhra Pradesh is one such important state where the ruling Congress, having bagged most seats last time, is likely to lose significantly to state parties such as Chandrababu Naidu's TDP and the newly-floated Prajya Rajyam of Chiranjeevi.

The NDA also hopes that if it reaches close enough to the magic figure, it would get some party from Tamil Nadu on board. In West Bengal, it has lost erstwhile ally Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool to Congress, but is not bothered. A BJP leader said Mamata will get more seats by allying with the Congress, thereby reducing the Left Front's tally.

If the UPA has to get Left support to form government, Mamata is likely to go back to the NDA.

Rajesh Sinha/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication