BJP win in Gujarat a foregone conclusion, says Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday predicted a comfortable victory for his alliance partner the BJP in Gujarat Assembly polls.

"Gujarat is the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Wahan toh BJP ka jeetna tai hai. (The BJP victory in Gujarat is a foregone conclusion)," said Nitish.

This is the second occasion in the last three months when the JD(U) president has showered praises on Modi.

In September, he had predicted a landslide victory for Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

"2019 mein koi unko hara sakta hai kya? (Can anyone defeat Modi in 2019 polls?)," Nitish had asked.

While eulogising his once bete noire Modi, Nitish on Monday took the opportunity to lash out at RJD chief Lalu Prasad, his estranged ally.

"Lalu has ruined his son Tejashwi and other family members by involving them in shady deals," said Nitish, while refusing to join issue with the RJD chief who, a day ago, projected his younger son as the chief ministerial face for the next Assembly elections in Bihar.

Asking the media to refrain from terming Gujarat and Himachal elections as a semi-final before the 2019 parliamentary polls, Nitish said, "Every year there is an election in one state or the other. So it's not proper to term it a semi-final."

Nitish, however, reiterated his earlier demand that the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls should be held together to cut down expenses.

"Not only the Lok Sabha and Assembly but panchayat and other civic polls should also be conducted simultaneously to save time, money and energy," said Nitish.