Lalu Yadav said while partner Nitish Kumar would continue as Bihar chief minister and "look after the state," he would take their fight against the BJP national.
After soundly defeating the BJP in Bihar, Lalu Yadav today declared that he is headed out to take on the ruling party in Delhi. Via Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency, said the RJD chief. (
Live: Bihar Results 2015)
He said that while partner Nitish Kumar would continue as Bihar chief minister and "look after the state," he would
take their fight against the BJP national. "We will launch a nationwide movement...I will first go to Varanasi to see if Modi has fulfilled the promises made during the Lok Sabha election," he said. (
Bihar election Results: Full coverage)
Accusing the BJP of attempting to "communalise" the Bihar elections, Lalu Yadav said, "Bihar has given a new direction to the entire country. We will oust the Narendra Modi government." (
Bihar Election Results: Constituencies)Nitish Kumar too talked about the "national impact" of the Bihar elections. "It is clear now that on the national level, people want a powerful opposition," he said, indicating a consolidation of opposition parties against the BJP.
(Bihar Election Results: Personalities)The Bihar election reflected the nation's mood, Mr Kumar said, and asserted that "people have voted against intolerance and for democracy."
(Bihar election Results: Party Summary)Leaders of other parties like
Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee too have described the Bihar result as a "vote against divisive politics and intolerance," congratulating Mr Kumar in a flurry of tweets.
(Bihar election Results: Maps) Rahul Gandhi, whose party the Congress is part of the Grand Alliance,
also lashed out at the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who fronted his party's campaign in Bihar, saying, "The message from Bihar is echoing all over, which is that the prime minister should listen and try to understand...PM Modi, the BJP and the RSS cannot divide this country. They cannot win elections by pitting Hindus against Muslims. The nation belongs to all."
(Bihar election Results: Candidates)Nitish Kumar said he had received congratulatory calls from leaders of parties from across the country, among them PM Modi, who also shared on Twitter that he had congratulated Mr Kumar.
"PM congratulated Nitishji. It was nice. But I don't know if he did it from the heart," said Lalu Yadav.