Bihar result a 'referendum': Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today termed the Bihar poll verdict a referendum against the Narendra Modi government as the BJP-led NDA stared at defeat at the hands of the grand alliance in the state.

"The Bihar results are in a way a referendum (on Modi government). The way the prime minister was working with arrogance and pride and the manner in which the Modi-Amit Shah duo were functioning dictatorially, this poll result has broken the Centre's arrogance," he said.

The Delhi chief minister hoped that after these results, the Centre's interference in Delhi and other states will end.

In a dig at Modi, he also said that perhaps the prime minister will henceforth focus more on governance and cancel his foreign trips.

"The way the Centre is illegally interfering in Delhi, we hope it will end now. We also hope the Centre's interference in other states will also end," he said.

"After this mandate, the people want that the Centre should run the state properly. We hope the prime minister will cancel his foreign trips and focus more on governance in the country," he added.

Kejriwal, who had earlier extended his support to Nitish Kumar, hoped the money promised to Bihar under a package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore announced by Modi will be given to the state soon to ensure its speedy development.

In another potshot, he also hoped that BJP MPs and MLAs from now on will be accorded due respect and given the opportunity to openly voice their opinion.

Kejriwal earlier congratulated the JD(U) leader for his "historic victory" as trends showed the grand alliance was surging ahead of the BJP-led NDA in Bihar and was set to form its government with a clear two-thirds majority in the 243-member Bihar assembly.

"Many congratulations Nitishji on this historic victory," he said on Twitter.

Kejriwal had said that it was important that BJP lost the Assembly elections in Bihar so that it realises that "hate politics" will not work in the country.

"It is important that BJP lose Bihar so that they know that hate politics will not work in this country. People want love and peace, not hate," he had said on Twitter.