Bihar results is a wake-up call for Centre: Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR: The Bihar Assembly election results was a "wakeup call" for the Centre, former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today, while expressing doubts whether the BJP-led NDA government would change its functioning after the drubbing it got.

"This (Bihar election results) is not just a reply to divisive or communal forces, but a wake up call for the central government as well as their policies," he told reporters at Anantnag.

The leader, who was at Anantnag in south Kashmir, for the National Conference (NC)'s workers convention, noted that the people want "real change" and are not impressed by the Prime Minister's functioning.

"The way the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) himself ran the campaign of the BJP and addressed more than 30 public rallies, the way BJP president (Amit Shah) stay put in Bihar, the money that they spent, the number of Central ministers who campaigned in Bihar... their programmes and their way of functioning is not liked by the people and people want a change in the real sense," he said.

Omar, however expressed his doubts about the NDA government changing its functioning for the better in the aftermath of Bihar election results.

"I have doubts that neither will these divisive forces change their work, nor is the central government ready to change or better its functioning," he said.

The National Conference working president said the Bihar results, which gave almost a three-fourth majority to the Nitish Kumar-led Grand Alliance, was a befitting reply to communal and divisive forces.