Chirag meets Nitish Kumar, dodges question on next Bihar CM after NDA landslide

New Delhi: Union minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Saturday called on Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, a day after the NDA swept the Bihar assembly elections with a landslide verdict.

Chirag, who was earlier accused of damaging Nitish Kumar's prospects in the 2020 polls, met the JD(U) leader at his residence and congratulated him on the alliance's emphatic victory.

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Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, "I had gone to congratulate the chief minister. The chief minister supported our candidates." He added that in Alauli, LJP(RV) workers had also backed the JD(U) candidate.

"All alliance partners fought this election together, and that is why we secured such a massive majority," he said.

Asked who would become the next chief minister, the Hajipur MP sidestepped the question.

Chirag's party won 19 of the 29 seats it contested, while both the BJP and the JD(U) delivered strong performances. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 89 seats, followed closely by the JD(U) with 85. Other NDA allies -- Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM(S) and Upendra Kushwaha's RLM -- won 5 and 4 seats respectively.

The alliance decimated the opposition Mahagathbandhan. Amid speculation over whether Nitish Kumar will take oath as chief minister again, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address on Friday, praised Nitish’s work in Bihar -- remarks widely seen as a signal of support for his return as CM.