DHAKA: With JD(U)-led Grand Alliance well on the road to win a thumping majority in the Bihar provincial assembly polls, India PM Narendra Modi on Sunday called up JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar and congratulated him on his victory in state elections.

Modi said in a tweet, ‘Had a telephone conversation with Shri @nitishkumar & congratulated him on the victory.’ (Sic)

Immediately thereafter, Nitish Kumar tweeted, ‘Just received a phone call from the Prime Minister congratulating me...thank you Modiji’, reports The Times of India.

Out of the trends available in the counting of votes for 220 seats, incumbent chief minister Nitish Kumar-led alliance is ahead in 142 of 243 seats up for grabs. A party or a formation needs 122 seats to get a simple majority in the House.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also congratulated the JD(U) leader for his ‘historic victory’.

‘Many congratulations Nitishji on this historic victory,’ Kejriwal said in a post in Hindi on Twitter.

According to latest trends, Nitish’s party JD(U) is ahead in 69 while its ally RJD led by Lalu Prasad is leading in 79 seats. The other partner Congress is ahead in 13 seats. On the rival side, the NDA alliance was ahead in 68 seats. BJP was ahead in 60 seats.

BDST: 1350 HRS, Nov 08, 2015
RR