Nitish congratulates Mamata for her bypoll win

Patna, Feb 17: Senior JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar on Tuesday congratulated West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her party's victory in the by-elections.

Kumar congratulated Banerjee over telephone for Trinamool Congress' victory in the by-elections to one Lok Sabha and one Assembly seat, a statement from Kumar's office said.

Banerjee had recently called up Kumar over the Bihar crisis and assured to fight with him if BJP tried to impose President's rule in Bihar.

Kumar, who was locked in a fresh bout with rival BJP, had yesterday hailed the Shiv Sena for speaking the "truth" on BJP's role in Bihar's present political situation.

The Shiv Sena had taunted BJP over the issue of supporting Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and said backing him would be a "sin" as it would be an endorsement of the "black era in politics".

BSP supremo Mayawati had also called up Kumar on Sunday night and promised support against "BJP's gameplan to impose President's rule in the state."

Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), RJD and CPI have already supported Kumar in his fight to "foil BJP's gameplan" and to break the JD(U) by propping up Manjhi.

The Bihar crisis has also provided an opportunity for laying foundation for a broader anti-BJP platform.

"BJP considers its allies as followers and not partners," Kumar had said adding, BJP in its new avatar, was "playing foul" against time-tested allies crushing the model of coalition government presented by its veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

PTI