Congratulate PM Modi For NDAs Spectacular Victory: Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for NDAs spectacular victory in the country as well in the state.

Mr Kumar also thanked the people of the state for giving their stamp of approval to the development work carried out by both the central and the state government in Bihar.

"In democracy, people are the master who have given their mandate. I congratulate the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for NDAs spectacular victory in the country and Bihar. I also thank the people of the country especially that of Bihar who have recognized the development work carried out by the state government and the Narendra Modi government," Mr Kumar said.

"The result is before all of you. People have voted for the alliance which has worked for them. This is a lesson for those who were trying to do some kind of caste arithmetic alone," Mr Kumar said this while talking to reporters at his official residence 1, Aney Marg here in the state capital after the poll outcome in the evening.

"The way people have shown faith in NDA, their responsibility and commitment towards people have increased tremendously, he said. Taking an oblique dig at the RJD-headed mahagathbandhan," Mr Kumar said that caste based politics alone will not serve the political purpose as it would not give them the desired support from the people.

He, however, said that this does not mean that he was denying the caste factor but it is also clear that caste is not everything.

He was accompanied by his Deputy Sushil Kumar Modi, Bihar BJP chief Nityanand Rai, Bihar JD(U) chief Bashishtha Narayan Singh and a host of other NDA leaders who had come to greet the CM on NDAs spectacular victory in the general elections.

NDA has either won or leading in 39 out of 40 lok sabha seats of Bihar registering an astounding victory.

BJP is leading on 17 seats including those which it has already won while its allies JD(U) and LJP have been leading in 16 and six seats respectively in the general elections.

Coming down heavily on Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, though without naming him, for making utterances against him during electioneering, Mr Kumar, the JD(U) national president, said that he did not find it appropriate to make or issue counter comment as he was not accustomed to such thing.

In reply to a query on JD(U) joining the union cabinet, Mr Kumar said the party has no hesitation in joining the government, but the decision on including allies in the ministry rests with the leadership, who will head the government.

On special category status, he said he has already raised the issue during NDA meeting that special initiatives or measures need to be taken to pull poor states out of their backwardness. He said that PM also emphasized the need for special attention to poor states especially eastern region states.

On Rahul Gandhi losing election from Amethi, Mr Kumar said it is completely upto the people as who they want to elect or defeat.

Asked to comment about Article 370, he said that his JD (U) has already cleared its stand on it.