Bihar results a victory of the people: Nitish

NDA's chief ministerial candidate Nitish Kumar said it would work to fulfil their ambitions and provide "good governance."

Describing the NDA's sweep in Bihar as a "victory of the people," its Chief Ministerial candidate Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said it would work to fulfil their ambitions and provide "good governance."

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"I want to congratulate the people of Bihar. It is their victory, they wanted a change and they voted for a change," Kumar said in his first reaction after the alliance's victory became clear.

"Every caste, every community in the state voted for change and stability. People in Bihar wanted good governance and we are grateful they have reposed faith in us. We will try to fulfil their ambitions," he told reporters outside his residence in New Delhi.

Flanked by senior BJP leaders Arun Jaitely, Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushil Kumar Modi, Ranjath Singh, Ravi Shankar Prasad and his party collegue Sharad Yadav, Kumar said the top priority of his government would be to bring back the vehicle of development on tracks.

"The government will work for all sections of society, be it Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Dalit or extreme backward classes," he said.

"People voted against misgovernance, injustice... In a democracy not to allow an alliance with the majority of MLAs to form government also did not go down well with the people and the verdict is a reflection of their anger," he said referring to the dissolution of the state Assembly following the February elections.

On whether there would be a Deputy Chief Minister, Kumar said "we have not discussed these issues yet."

"The challenge before us was the elections. JD (U) and the BJP together campaigned in the elections and we projected ourselves as an unified force which was liked by the people and they reposed faith in us," he said.

Kumar congratulated the Election Commission (EC) for conducting an "impartial" and "free" election.

"There was a myth that free elections were not possible in Bihar and the EC has destroyed that myth. We will also destroy another myth that there can be no governance in Bihar," he said.

"We will help the people of Bihar utilise their talent, potential and ability to the fullest so that the entire country can feel proud of the state," he said.

When asked whether he would stick to his pre-poll assertion that he would not include tainted ministers in his cabinet, he said "we would fulfill all our promises."

He said the leader of BJP and JD (U) would in the next two days finalise the composition of the government and the two parties would work together for the betterment of the people.