Intolerance among key factors for BJP’s defeat in Bihar, say political leaders

“It was a very tough fight, it was a straight fight”, he said. “It is a victory of principles over moneybags”, he added. Most of the exit polls have predicted a close contest between the BJP-led NDA and the grand alliance of JD(U)-RJD- Congress with a slight edge to the chief minister Nitish Kumar-led grouping.

Nitish Kumar, often referred to as Chanakya of Bihar politics, lived up to the moniker when he surprisingly joined hands with arch rival RJD boss Lalu Prasad to script a third consecutive term for himself as Chief Minister after being bruised and bloodied in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Among others, the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comment on a rethink over caste-based reservations also was a key issue during the elections and is said to have consolidated backward votes against NDA. The Congress, which fought elections as part of the Grand Alliance, also could manage a vote share of only about 6.7 per cent. The Janata Dal-United on Sunday expressed hope that it will form the next government in Bihar.

The RJD had won 22 seats last time and it has emerged as the single-largest party this time with an estimated 80 seats after taking into account the seats where it was leading. Kumar asked him to step down and pave the way for his return as chief minister. “We should wait for it”, Union minister and senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar told reporters.

Lalu and Nitish, friend-turned-foe in state politics, sank their differences to revive an alliance that began over 40 years ago with the students’ agitation, which soon turned into a pan-India movement led by veteran socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan. “It is a work of pure arithmetic of opposition unity”, he said.

BJP’s Parliamentary Board is likely to meet tomorrow to analyse the poll results and will examine all the aspects and factors leading to the party’s below par performance against the Nitish Kumar-led alliance.

“The economic package for Bihar is a commitment given by the Prime Minister which will be fulfilled by the Centre at all cost”, he said here.