Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party and its allies were set to return to power in the nation's richest state, television channels reported on Saturday, a boost for the Hindu-nationalist leader after a disappointing general election.

The party and its allies are however looking at a defeat in the mining state of Jharkhand.

In a prominent battle, Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar is poised to defeat his relative, Yugendra Shrinivas Pawar, with a lead of 43,619 votes after nine rounds of counting.

With the counting of votes underway, the Election Commission of India will declare results for the Maharashtra assembly polls on Saturday. Maharashtra went to the polls on November 20 for all 288 assembly constituencies.

The BJP was ahead in 125 seats, close to the halfway mark of 144 on its own, while the Shiv Sena had leads in 56 and the NCP in 35.