Nitish Kumar will remain the Chief Miinister, the Bharatiya Janata Party said, a day after it put up a winning performance in the state Assembly polls leading the ruling National Democratic Alliance to obtain a majority even though Mr Kumar led Janata Dal-United posted a fall in total votes gained in a tightly fought race.
"Nitishji will remain Chief Minister as it was our commitment. There is no confusion on this," the BJP's Sushil Kumar Modi and Deputy Chief Minister said today.
After more than 14 hours of counting, many twists and turns and allegations of cheating, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was announced as the winner of the Bihar Assembly election in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah will reach the BJP office at six in the evening today to congratulate workers on the Bihar assembly election victory.
Boosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rallies, the NDA eased past the majority mark of 122 in the 243-member Assembly. The BJP won 74 seats to emerge as the senior member in its alliance with Nitish Kumar's JDU, which won just 43.
Boosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's several rallies, the NDA hit the majority mark of 122 at 2.57 AM.
According to data on the Election Commission's website, the BJP won 72 seats to emerge as the senior member in its alliance with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JDU, which managed just 42.
The opposition, led by the RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, put up a strong fight but eventually fell short. However, with 75 seats the RJD is the single-largest party. The Congress, viewed by many as the reason for the opposition's failure to go all the way, contested 70 seats but won only 19. Chirag Paswan's LJP, which was the source of much frustration for Nitish Kumar, won just one seat.
Here are Bihar Election Result 2020 Highlights:
We were always present but this time we got more seats. Our performance was good in this alliance. We had set an agenda but NDA has returned, so, I would say our mission has failed: CPI(M-L) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya on party winning 12 seats in Bihar elections pic.twitter.com/ISDSIsBwCI
- ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2020
The secret to winning Bihar elections is 'Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwaas'. It is a victory of the development works in Bihar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/ZjpecSPjac
- ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2020
Nitish Kumar should quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and back Tejashwi Yadav as Chief Minister, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said today, a day after the Chief Minister won a fourth term in Bihar but with greatly diminished numbers.
The dismal performance of the Congress in the Bihar assembly elections has set off yet another wave dissent within the grand old party, which barely managed to keep itself together after a storm of protest four months ago threatened to rip it apart.
Nitish Kumar thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said the voters of Bihar in his first reaction to the BJP-dominated victory that saw him win a fourth term in power.
BJP has a team of silent voters who are constantly supporting it, these are the women voters of our country, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
I want to thank the people of the country, not because they made BJP win the polls across the states, but also because all of us enthusiastically participated in the festival of democracy: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/UVp6Paudv3
- ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2020
#WATCH Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at BJP headquarters to take part in the event organised to celebrate the victory of NDA in #BiharElections2020. pic.twitter.com/mtJvLIwrcV
- ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2020
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the BJP headquarters to take part in the celebrations following the victory of the NDA in Bihar Elections.
Delhi: Defence Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh arrives at party headquarters to take part in the celebrations following the victory of NDA in #BiharElections2020.
- ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2020
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to arrive at the event shortly. pic.twitter.com/UZEom5A73U
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal reaches party headquarters.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitarama, Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan and Gajendra Shekhawat also reach the party headquarters in Delhi.
Home Minister Amit Shah reaches BJP headquarters in central Delhi.
BJP National President Shri @JPNadda arrives at party headquarters in New Delhi. https://t.co/BYhPWEz0yj
- BJP (@BJP4India) November 11, 2020
Celebrations underway at BJP's Delhi headquarters after NDA retains Bihar for second straight term. The NDA won 125 seats in the 243-member Bihar Assembly and BJP emerged as the second-largest party. Hundreds have gathered at the headquarter to celebrate the poll win.
PM Modi, JP Nadda will address party workers at BJP headquarters near ITO in central Delhi after Bihar poll victory.
Bihar BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal on Wednesday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's welfare policies for the ruling NDA's win in the assembly polls and said all anti-incumbency claims have been negated by the mandate for a fourth term to the Nitish Kumar government. He also made it clear that Nitish Kumar will continue to head the NDA government in Bihar and asserted that the difference in the number of seats won by BJP and JD(U) will have no impact on the dynamics of the ruling alliance in the state. "Certainly, 100 per cent," Mr Jaiswal told news agency PTI when asked whether Nitish Kumar will remain the chief minister. "We are allies and equals. We have to run Bihar collectively," he said.
Reacting to allegations that his party was dividing anti-BJP votes, Mr Owaisi said he was running a political party that has a right to contest on its own.
"Visited party national president JP Nadda and congratulated him for BJP's massive victory in Bihar and bypolls in various states. Under the leadership of Nadda ji and PM Modi, the party workers are devoted to the development of the country," tweeted Amit Shah.
बिहार विधानसभा चुनाव और विभिन्न प्रदेशों के उपचुनावों में @BJP4India की प्रचंड जीत पर माननीय राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष श्री @JPNadda जी के आवास पर जाकर उन्हें बधाई दी।
- Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 11, 2020
प्रधानमंत्री @narendramodi जी और नड्डा जी के नेतृत्व में हम सभी कार्यकर्ता देश के समग्र विकास के लिए समर्पित हैं। pic.twitter.com/T7tkPgdxSx
As the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has alleged influencing the counting of votes in the Bihar Assembly elections by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Sanjay Jaiswal on Wednesday said that deceived by RJD, the public supported the truth.
"They (RJD) have deceived the public, still the public supported truth. Hence RJD is worried," said Mr Jaiswal.
"When ballots used to be there, RJD's leaders used to loot the booths due which they were in power for 15 years. Now they are not able to accept the election procedure which is being held in a correct manner. They are spreading lies among the public," he added.
Mr Jaiswal's statement came after a delegation of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress reached the Election Commission office in Patna on Tuesday night to raise the issue of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar allegedly influencing the counting of votes.
Hitting back at senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh for advising Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to leave Bihar and enter national politics, Janata Dal (United) leader Sanjay Singh on Wednesday said that Digvijaya wants to "destroy Bihar like Madhya Pradesh".
"He (Digvijaya) has already destroyed Madhya Pradesh, now he wants to destroy Bihar as well. It will be better if he keeps his advice to himself and Congress. We do not need it. Congress is already sinking, whoever gets on board, will sink with them," Mr Singh told ANI.
The JDU leader's remarks come in response to Digvijaya Singh's advise to Bihar Chief Minister.
"Nitish Ji, Bihar has become small for you. You should join national politics. Do not let the Union's policy of ''divide and rule''. Help all socialists believe in the secular ideology. Do consider," the Congress leader had said on Tuesday.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief MK Stalin on congratulated Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on National Democratic Alliance victory and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav for his leadership, making RJD emerge as the single-largest party in the Bihar Assembly elections.
"Hearty congratulations to Nitish Kumar for being re-elected to serve as Chief Minister of Bihar. On behalf of the DMK, I convey my best wishes to his Government to lead Bihar on the path of equitable, just and inclusive development," he said congratulating the Bihar Chief Minister through a tweet.
Further, in another tweet, he said, "The remarkable performance of RJD to emerge as the single largest party in Bihar inspires confidence in our democracy. I wholeheartedly congratulate Tejashwi Yadav for leading the RJD. On behalf of DMK, I wish him and RJD a bright future."
"Like all parties, I too would like to win as many seats as possible, but my aim for these elections was to ensure that the BJP emerges a strong party in the state and we are happy with the impact we have had," Chirag Paswan told reporters this morning.
#WATCH Bihar: BJP workers celebrate at the party office in Patna following the victory of NDA in #BiharElections2020. pic.twitter.com/7yZadSjm9N
- ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2020
Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Digvijaya Singh accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of destroying the legacy of late Ram Vilas Paswan and reducing the stature of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar by its "kootneeti" (strategy) in Bihar.
After losing the Madhya Pradesh by-polls and Bihar Assembly elections 2020, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, in a series of tweets (roughly translated from Hindi), said, "BJP has reduced Nitish's stature by its strategy and ended the legacy of Ram Vilas Paswan ji."
Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retained power with an absolute majority in Bihar Assembly election with 125 on Wednesday. However, Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), which fielded 137 candidates, managed to secure only one seat.
Mr Singh has also advised Nitish Kumar to leave Bihar and enter national politics.
"In an alliance, not all parties win equal number of seats. Who won how many seats is irrelevant, people voted for NDA. BJP played a role in JD(U)'s victory and JD(U) played a role in BJP's victory. JD(U), BJP, VIP and HAM worked together, then we registered this victory," said Bihar's Deputy Chief MInister Sushil Modi after the BJP put up a winning performance in the Bihar assembly elections and its ally JD(U) posting a fall in total votes gained in a tightly fought race.
Buoyed by the results of Bihar assembly elections, the AIMIM which bagged five seats is now
"Happy that Bihar gave its love to LJP. Around 25 Lakh voters trusted 'Bihar First, Bihari First' and we secured six per cent votes even after contesting alone. We were called 'pichhlaggu party' that can do something only with other's support. But, we showed courage," said Chirag Paswan.
Nitish Kumar will remain the Chief Miinister, the Bharatiya Janata Party said, a day after it put up a winning performance in the state Assembly polls leading the ruling National Democratic Alliance to obtain a majority even though Mr Kumar led Janata Dal-United posted a fall in total votes gained in a tightly fought race.
"Nitishji will remain Chief Minister as it was our commitment. There is no confusion on this," the BJP's Sushil Kumar Modi and Deputy Chief Minister said today.
"Narendra Modi ji has a vision for Bihar, and we are sure his leadership and vision will take Bihar forward. The support that the people of Bihar have given the Lok Janshakti Party is praiseworthy and I thank all those who came out and supported us," said Chirag Paswan.
"Yes, like all parties, I too would like to win as many seats as possible, but my aim for these elections was to ensure that the BJP emerges a stronger party in the state and we are happy with the impact we have had," he added.
Bihar: Posters put up outside BJP office in Patna after NDA registered a victory in #BiharElections
- ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2020
NDA won 125 seats in the state Assembly Polls (BJP 74, JDU 43, VIP 4 and HAM 4) pic.twitter.com/HsihiFUhYH
"The kind of trust Bihar and the entire nation has in the leadership of PM Modi - people want progress of the country. They have rejected the kind of politics done by the Opposition parties," said Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on NDA's victory in Bihar assembly elections.
With the ruling NDA set to retain power in Bihar, BJP leaders in Goa, including Chief Minister
Bihar: Posters put up outside JD(U) office in Patna after CM Nitish Kumar-led NDA in the state registered a victory in #BiharElections
- ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2020
NDA won 125 seats in the state Assembly Polls (BJP 74, JDU 43, VIP 4 and HAM 4) pic.twitter.com/vWTBHJZyqs
"Results declared," the poll body wrote in the ''status'' column for Hilsa seat late Tuesday night. And in the margin column it wrote "12".
#ResultsWithNDTV | @alok_pandey reports live from outside RJD's Tejashwi Yadav's house in Patna, Bihar
- NDTV (@ndtv) November 11, 2020
Read all about #BiharResults | Nitish Kumar, BJP retain Bihar, RJD single-largest party https://t.co/8JzFSJ4Zpv pic.twitter.com/rNPnHvVMkN
The way Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has run the government in the past, seeing that people have again given him a chance in Bihar, said DK Aruna, BJP National Vice President.
"The way Nitish Kumar ji has run the government in past years, seeing that people have given him another chance in Bihar. BJP has triumphed in various states," Ms Aruna told ANI.
"The exit polls had predicted that NDA might not be able to form a government in Bihar but as the results have been announced, exit polls predictions have failed," she added.
The BJP put up a winning performance in the Bihar Assembly polls leading the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to obtain a majority even though Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led Janata Dal-United (JDU) posted a fall in total votes gained in a tightly fought race.
"The poor in villages, farmers, labourers, merchants, shopkeepers and every section of Bihar have relied on the NDA's mantra of sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas. I again assure every citizen of Bihar that for the balanced development of every person, every region, we will continue to work with full dedication," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah both tweeted and thanked the people of Bihar for "backing the NDA's development agenda" hours before the results were confirmed. PM Modi said the NDA would "work for the balanced development of every person, every region" of the state. Mr Shah said: "Every section of Bihar has... backed the NDA's development agenda" and added: "This is a win for the double-engine development of PM Modi and Nitish Kumar".
Q: '𝐵𝑖𝘩𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑒𝑖 𝑘𝑎 𝑏𝑎?'
- NDTV (@ndtv) November 11, 2020
A: '𝑃𝘩𝑖𝑟 𝑠𝑒 𝑁𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑠𝘩 𝑘𝑖 𝑆𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑎𝑟 𝑏𝑎'
( 📸: @alok_pandey )
After weeks of bitter campaigning, three phases of voting and over 15 hours of counting, the BJP-led NDA hit the majority mark of 122 at 2.57 AM | #ResultsWithNDTV pic.twitter.com/gIeulWo93G
Ashwini Kumar Choubey said that the people of Bihar have elected double-engine government and rejected "double yuvraj," in an apparent dig at Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav.
"I would like to express my gratitude towards the people of Bihar. This victory is a result of PM Narendra Modi's hard work and guidance. People have elected double-engine government and rejected the ''double yuvraj''," he said.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the electoral victory that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) pulled off in a closely fought Bihar elections.
"Today is a historic day that NDA has won again the extraordinary trust of the people of Bihar. They trusted PM Modi's leadership whose commitment resonated with them that without the development of Bihar, development of India will remain incomplete," Mr Prasad said.
"I have to make only one request to our friends in the opposition. We are dignified in our victory, let them show some grace in their defeat. That is the essence of democracy," he added.
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan on Wednesday said that people of Bihar have reposed their faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and credited him with the BJP's victory in the Assembly polls.
"People of Bihar have reposed faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The result shows that people are excited for the BJP. This is PM Modi's victory," Mr Paswan tweeted in Hindi.
The Paswan scion also congratulated the candidates who fought for the party and hoped that the efforts will reap the benefit in the future.
"All the LJP candidates fought well the elections all alone. Party's vote share also increased. LJP went with ''Bihar first Bihari first'' resolution. The party also strengthened in every district and will benefit in future," he added.
It was a tough assembly election for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as he faced multiple challenges in his bid for the fourth successive term in office. The challenge posed by Rashtriya Janata Dal-led Mahagathbandhan gained momentum as the campaign progressed and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan also gunned for him.
The performance of Janata Dal-United has down compared its performance in the 2015 elections and the ruling party could not win even half of the number of seats it contested in this election. But the seats it won were enough to give a cushion to the strong performance by BJP to take the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) past the majority mark in the 243-member House.
Nitish Kumar's party could only win 43 seats out of the 115 seats it contested whereas BJP, which fielded 110 candidates registered victory in 74 constituencies.