JD(U) Leader Nitish Kumar Congratulates Mamata Banerjee on her Party's By-Poll Win

Senior Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar today congratulated West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her party's victory in the state by-elections.

Mr Kumar congratulated Banerjee over telephone for Trinamool Congress' victory in the by-elections to one Lok Sabha and one Assembly seat, a statement from Mr Kumar's office said.

Ms Banerjee had recently called up Nitish Kumar over the Bihar crisis and assured to fight with him if the BJP tried to impose President's rule in Bihar.

Mr Kumar, who was locked in a fresh bout with rival BJP, had yesterday hailed the Shiv Sena for speaking the "truth" on the BJP's role in Bihar's present political situation.

The Shiv Sena had taunted the BJP over the issue of supporting Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and said that backing him would be a "sin" as it would be an endorsement of the "black era in politics".

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati had also called up Mr Kumar on Sunday night and promised support against "BJP's gameplan to impose President's rule in the state."

Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Communist Party of India (CPI) have already supported Mr Kumar in his fight to "foil BJP's gameplan" and to break the JD(U) by propping up Mr Manjhi.

The Bihar crisis has also provided an opportunity for laying foundation for a broader anti-BJP platform.

"BJP considers its allies as followers and not partners," Mr Kumar had said adding, the BJP in its new avatar, was "playing foul" against time-tested allies crushing the model of coalition government presented by veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee.