After a dramatic and bitterly fought campaign, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday won the state’s election, in a landslide victory over Congress leader Nitish Bhushan.
In the first round, the Congress won 57.8% of the vote while the BJP won 40.4%.
The BJP had a commanding lead in the state.
In a speech at a rally in Jodhpur, Nitish said, “The victory is a historic one.
The victory of Bihar is a victory for all of us who have fought for the welfare of Bihar.
The state is in the hands of the people.”
Kumar said, the people of Bihar were not just voters but also supporters of the Congress and the BJP.
He added that his government is going to create jobs for thousands of people and strengthen the economy.
Nitish, a former leader of the BJP, will take over from Nitish Singh Yadav as the Chief Minister of Bihar in a matter of weeks.
The Chief Minister said he would work for the people, the farmers, the labourers and the rural areas.
“This election is a national one, but Bihar has its own identity and identity is Bihar,” he said.
Bihar is India’s most populous state, with nearly 17 million people.
The Election Commission had said that the winner would be declared on March 14, the day of the elections.