18 May,2014 08:55 AM IST | | Agencies
Taking moral responsibility of his party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, the Chief Minister of Bihar submitted his resignation yesterday
Nitish Kumar
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar resigned yesterday, taking moral responsibility for the rout of his Janata Dal-United (JD-U) in the state in the general elections. "I led the party's campaign. I take moral responsibility for the election result," a visibly despondent Nitish Kumar told the media.
Nitish Kumar said he hoped the new government fulfills the promises made during campaign. PIC/AFP
He submitted his resignation to Governor DY Patil after the JD-U won only two of the 40 Lok Sabha seats from Bihar. In 2009, it won 20 seats in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Kumar made it clear that he has not recommended the dissolution of the 243-member Bihar assembly. He said that meeting of the legislature party has been scheduled for Sunday.
"We did not get the expected support...(and) there is no doubt that the mandate is for the BJP," said Kumar, who has been in the saddle since November 24, 2005, and won a second term in the 2010 assembly elections. He added that he has not seen this kind of polarisation in Indian politics. "I hope that the new government keeps the promises made during the campaign."
The Bihar Governor accepted the resignation of Kumar and his cabinet in the evening. He urged Kumar to continue along with his ministerial council till the next ministry is constituted.
