Nitish Kumar on Wednesday termed the victory of his Janata Dal - United Bharatiya Janata Party alliance as a victory for development and pledged to work harder in his second innings.
"We have no magic wand, but people's trust. I will need to work harder than I did in the last five years and I will not hesitate (in doing so)," Kumar, 59, told a press conference.
The poll verdict, he said, would disappoint those doing politics on the basis of caste and the mandate would mark a 'new story' in Bihar and have an effect outside the state.
"The outcome of the elections also proves beyond doubt that it is a victory for development and for the people of the state," he said.
In a veiled attack on the Rashtriya Janata Dal-Lok Janshakti Party alliance and the Congress, Kumar said, "It is unfortunate that these people have not seen the writing on the wall. The trends are positive and reflect that those making false claims or promises will face the music."
"If you live up to people's aspirations and expectations, you will definitely be rewarded," Kumar said.
"Now I feel that the people have thrust on my shoulder more responsibilities and I have to continue to make efforts with full dedication," he added.
Also see: Live Bihar trends
Hailing the victory of the National Democratic Alliance, JD-U chief Sharad Yadav said the results are an outcome of the socio-economic development programme implemented by the Nitish Kumar-led coalition government in the state. Yadav also made it clear that the alliance with the BJP would continue.
"RJD and LJP had been only giving lectures (on the issue of development in the state) for the last 20-25 years. We spoke about it (development) only after we brought it and the result is before every one. Our work spoke," he said.
"The victory is the outcome of the sincere implementation of the ideology of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia and the socialist programmes (by NDA government) in the state," he said.
Yadav, who is also the NDA convener, criticised the Congress over the issue of development and said that after launching a massive poll campaign in Bihar, the party went on to claim that entire development in the state was carried out only by utilising central fund.
"The government of India should study on how inclusive growth is brought. We have done it in Bihar," he added.
Yadav said that there was an 'environment' of victory all around due to the development work done by the Nitish Kumar government.
"The effect of this was that we lost seats with a very low margin and that too because of our own mistakes," he added.
Giving the credit to the people of state, Yadav said they have given a fitting reply to the achievements of the JD-U-BJP combine. "Our alliance has won the election. There was an alliance, there is an alliance and there will be an alliance," he said.
Overwhelmed by an unprecedented mandate for the NDA in the Bihar assembly polls, the BJP said the coalition headed by Nitish Kumar would work with renewed vigour for the development of the state in its second term.
"We are overwhelmed by the landslide mandate for which we thank the 10 crore people of Bihar with folded hands. The NDA will try its best to live up to the great expectation of the electorate and work for the development of the state," senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said.
"It is the victory of development over caste-based politics" he said. On whether the NDA expected the huge win, he said the result had gone beyond his own expectations.
Summing up reasons for the historic verdict, he said the outcome was a combination of anti-Lalu votes and support for good governance, empowerment of the poor and women.
Basking in the glory of the best-ever performance of his party in Bihar, Modi said the result was a fitting reply to the smear campaign that certain communities were inimical to the BJP and added that the victory of its Muslim candidate Sama Jafar from Amour assembly seat proved that the minorities had voted for the saffron party.
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