Lalu, Nitish welcome election schedule for Bihar

Patna, Sept 9: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD President Lalu Prasad on Wednesday welcomed announcement of assembly election schedule for Bihar and said they were "well prepared".

"It is good that a five-phase election schedule has been announced ... We were waiting for the dates," Kumar told reporters. [Bihar to hold 5-phase assembly elections: Polls to begin from Oct 12, Results on Nov 8]

He said his government has been in the election mode and was following the model code of conduct since September 6 itself. [Bihar Assembly polls: Explained]

"Now except for urgent official work no work other than that related to election would be done in view of coming into being of model code of conduct," he added. [Pics: Heavyweights of Bihar politics]

Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi today announced five-phase election in Bihar starting October 12. Results would be declared on November 8.

The secular alliance comprising JD(U), RJD and Congress was prepared for election in all the 243 seats and he would go to voters on the basis of his work, he said.

Prasad too welcomed the announcement of poll dates in Bihar but said it would have been better if election was conducted on a single day instead of prolonging it for five days.

"This is not an election for Bihar only, but of the country," Prasad told reporters.

Expressing confidence about the secular alliance's performance, he said the election would send BJP packing.

"The severe drubbing that BJP is sure to receive in Bihar elections would start the reverse counting for the saffron party."

"BJP is only a mask. The actual force is RSS which recently boxed the ears of BJP government and took accounts of its performance."

The RJD chief also expressed happiness over the comments made by former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi against NDA partner LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan.

"Manjhi spoke right about Paswan ... Hindustani Awam Morcha would lead to the downfall of NDA," he said.

Referring to the NDA, he said "BJP is not like Lalu that anybody can show eyes at it ... LJP, RLSP and HAM would have to accept the number of seats BJP gives to them."

PTI