Lalu-Raj ends in Bihar with strong victory for Nitish Kumar-led NDA

Lalu-Raj ends in Bihar with strong victory for Nitish Kumar-led NDA

PATNA, Bihar - RJD supremo and Union Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav was given a resounding 'NO' verdict by the electorate in his home state of Bihar, who instead pumped for his rival and NDA chief ministerial candidate Nitish Kumar.

As soon as the counting got underway in the morning and the first trends began trickling in, it was clear that Lalu was faced with a humiliating defeat. Lalu, who remained ensconced in his private residence for most of the day finally emerged and admitted that the people of Bihar had rejected 15 years of his mis-rule, "We happily accept the mandate of the Assembly elections," Prasad said.

"I hope the new government succeeds in keeping the promises it made during the polls and no Bihari will go out of the state." Lalu's wife former chief minister Rabri Devi was trailing in her constituency of Raghopur, but managed to secure a marginal win. However, most of her other colleagues were not that lucky and were resoundingly beaten by JD (U) candidates.

Lalu also extended his congratulations to the NDA candidate Nitish Kumar, who is likely to be sworn in as the new chief minister, "I congratulate Nitish on a personal level, who is a good man and like my younger brother, but I am not congratulating the BJP," he said.

The Bihar elections had assumed added significance since this was the second time in six months that the Bihari electorate was asked to exercise their franchisee. The state governor Buta Singh had controversially dissolved the assembly and had imposed President's rule in the state. This action was recently deemed "unconstitutional" by the Supreme Court of India.

Lalu Prasad Yadav has been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons and perhaps he had anticipated that he would be drubbed badly, "Defeat and victory is a part of politics. Whatever the result, we accept with bowed head," he said.