Arvind Kejriwal congratulates Nitish for 'historic victory'

NEW DELHI: Having backed Nitish Kumar in the high-stakes poll contest, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today congratulated the JD(U) leader for his "historic victory" as trends showed the grand alliance surging ahead of the BJP-led NDA in Bihar.

"Many congratulations Nitishji on this historic victory," Kejriwal said in a post in Hindi on Twitter.

In a reversal of early trends, the JD(U)-led grand alliance shot ahead of NDA, taking a lead in more than 140 seats, which is well above the half-way mark in the 243-member Bihar Assembly.

Kejriwal had earlier said it was important that BJP lost the Assembly elections in Bihar so that it realises that "hate politics" will not work in the country.

"It is important that BJP lose Bihar so that they know that hate politics will not work in this country. People want love and peace, not hate," he had said on Twitter.

Also, reiterating his support for his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar, Kejriwal had urged people in the state to vote for him.

"I appeal to all to call up their relatives and friends in Bihar and ask them to vote for Nitish Kumar," he had said on the micro-blogging site.