Nitish blames Cong decision to go it alone in Assam for defeat

New Delhi, May 19: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today attributed BJP's maiden victory in Assam to Congress' decision not to go for an alliance in the assembly polls.

Kumar, whose JD(U) wanted Congress to fight Assam polls in tie-up with AIUDF and RJD, today credited BJP's victory in the north eastern state to the latter succesfully "stitching up an alliance".

The JD(U) chief said there is "nothing surprising" in the assembly election results, which were "totally on expected lines". Congratulating those who won the polls, Kumar said,"The results are not suprising. What has come out today is was visible during the election campaigning.

We had been to Kerala a few times. "It looked then also that the Left Democratic Front has an edge. Bengal is nearby (close to Bihar). People keep coming from there to Bihar and we have been listening to what is happening there. I congratulate Mamata ji (on TMC's victory)."

Commenting on results in Assam, where BJP created history by storming to power for the first time, ousting Congress after a 15-year unbroken stint in power, Kumar said,"In Assam, Congress did not go for an alliance before polls, whereas the BJP successfully stitched up an alliance."

"It (the result) was clear well before the elections. It was clearly visible from all sides," he said. The state unit of Congress had decided not to forge a pre-poll alliance with any party.

After the success of JD(U)-RJD-Congress grand alliance in Bihar assembly polls last year, there was a buzz for some time that a similar alliance could also be replicated in Assam, where the BJP was making a serious bid to come to power.

Poll strategist Prashant Kishor was also in favour of a Congress-led grand alliance against the BJP in Assam. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who attended the swearing-in of Nitish Kumar in November last year, had also given a call for a Mahabujabujji (a deep understanding) between anti-BJP parties.

However, when Kumar took the initiative to forge an alliance that would include JD(U), AIUDF, RJD and Congress, the Assam unit of the Congress decided to go to the polls independently.

Voicing his displeasure later, which was seen as an indication of the impending reverses for the ruling party in Assam, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal said a few days back on Twitter that if BJP wins because of a division of secular votes, it is Congress which will be responsible.

In a series of tweets on April 10, Ajmal had said, "even before two days we approached Cong to come in to some understanding. But Congress rejected our offer. But unfortunately Congress did not agree to form an alliance with us.

They rather are hell bent to divide secular votes. "Nitish Kumarji, Lalu Yadavji also tried their best 2 work out a grand alliance including Congress, AGP, BPF, JDU, RJD & all other secular forces. We tried our best to form an alliance with the Congress, Prashant Kishore spoke to Rahul Gandhi in this regard," Ajmal, whose AIDUF has emerged as a force to reckon with in the state, had said.

PTI