Bihar polls a victory of merit over dynastic politics: BJP

NEW DELHI: BJP today described the election results in Bihar as a victory of meritorious leadership over dynastic politics with a message for the future of Indian politics that a membership of a family or dynasty does not count.

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said the election results have showed that politics of Bihar has changed and that "charisma or family" does not win elections, in an obvious attack on RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Rahul Gandhi who campaigned for Congress.

Hailing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi for running a successful government with integrity and maturity, he said, "we are proud of their leadership and the way the ran the coalition and government."

"A few things have stood out. People wanted a repeat of the government under Kumar's leadership indicates that it is a victory of hope over fear and optimism over despair.

"It has changed the political agenda of Bihar now. People look forward to the government. It is a vote for the future of Bihar. I don't think our principal opponents were able to understand and read the scrip that Bihar has changed. The NDA ran a government which with maturity and integrity," he said.

He said the NDA victory in the last election was a negative vote while this time, it is a positive vote for the alliance.