Nitish Kumar's development factor helps JD-U sweep Bihar polls

Patna, May 16 (IANS) The Janata Dal-United's (JD-U) near sweep of the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar is being widely attributed to the development work done by party leader and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The JD-U and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine was leading in 32 of Bihar's 40 seats as counting of votes was underway Saturday.

'People across Bihar voted for Nitish Kumar's development, his D-factor clicked,' Gopilal Sharma, businessman, said here.

Nashrul Azmal, who runs a real estate company, said that people were moved by Nitish Kumar's initiatives for development.

'Credit for a huge victory for JD-U and BJP combine goes to Nitish Kumar's development(work),' he said.

Chanchal Singh, a homemaker, said people respected Nitish Kumar. The chief minister had sought votes in the name of development.

'Nitish Kumar has built long-delayed bridges and re-laid roads that had ceased to exist, appointed over 100,000 school teachers, ensured that doctors work in primary health centres and kept criminals in check,' she said.

Nitish Kumar's stock has gone up because his development plank has become a magic word for the JD-U and the BJP in a state sick and tired of empty election promises.

Senior JD-U leader Shivanand Tiwari said: 'Development during Nitish Kumar's 40-month rule in Bihar helped us win the elections. We are more confident than ever before.'

Interestingly, the BJP also played the development card to woo voters in the name of Nitish Kumar rather than contentious issues like the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

During the campaign, Nitish Kumar hardly missed a chance to remind people that the rule of law has been established, more than 30,000 criminals have been convicted, kidnapping has become a thing of the past, roads have been constructed on a large scale and government schools and hospitals are functioning.

Bihar is a state where nearly 50 percent of 83 million people are living below the poverty line.

Since coming to power in 2005, Nitish Kumar has claimed that he has made a dramatic difference to the lives of millions.