Zeenews Bureau
Patna/ New Delhi: Basking in the glory of the stupendous success of BJP-JD(U) coalition, the saffron party on Wednesday hailed the mandate and called it a index of development.
Terming Bihar verdict would prove to be a watershed in Indian politics BJP president Nitin Gadkari congratulated the people of Bihar for the huge mandate. “This victory will show a way for shaping the politics of 21st century in India. The mandate highlights the politics of development and progress”, he said adding “People of Bihar have rejected the politics of caste”.
Describing the victory in Bihar as "unprecedented", senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said, "The message of the Bihar election is that the governments which work for people, which ensures development will only be able to come back to power". The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha wondered where the Congress "magic" has gone.
In an obvious attack on RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley described the result as a victory of meritorious leadership over dynastic politics. "We are proud of their leadership and the way they ran the coalition and government", he said hailing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi.
Bihar deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said the election verdict is very much on the "expected lines". "The trends indicate that it is clean sweep for the NDA", he added.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated the people of Bihar for accepting the development agenda of the ruling coalition and said that, “The development of Bihar will add to the progress of India.”
BJP’s most prominent Muslim face Shahnawaz Hussain said, "It is clear that people have voted for development and not for caste.”
Bihar BJP president C P Thakur also expressed happiness at the success of the alliance.
Answering to reporters’ query on whether Gujarat CM Narendra Modi would be invited to the swearing-in ceremony of the new Nitish government, Thakur said, “All BJP CMs including Modi would be invited. Modi is a very senior and respectable leader of BJP. He is not an outcast”.
First Published: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 18:23