Jharkhand poll outcome no setback : Nitish Kumar

Senior JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar on Tuesday refused to accept that poll outcome of Jharkhand was a setback since there was no "perfect" alliance in the state among secular parties before the elections.

"BJP performance in both Jharkhand and Jammu & Kashmir appears to be below expectations and there is no reason for celebration for the saffron party," Kumar told reporters emerging from Legislative Council. On poor showing by JD(U), RJD and Congress in Jharkhand, the three expected partners in Assembly poll in Bihar next year, Kumar said, "I was not expecting much in the absence of any perfect alliance among us." "Any front against BJP without JMM or JVM in Jharkhand could not be a potent force," he said.

On BJP leaders' claim that after good showing in Jharkhand it was now the turn of Bihar, Kumar, who is playing an active role in unification of old Janata Parivar, said "khayali pulao hai (its wishful thinking)". Kumar said Monday's "mahadharna" of six parties involved in merger into old 'Janata Parivar' at Delhi was a "success". Trinamool Congress of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee had sent its good wishes to our event, he said.

Saying that no timeline could be fixed for merger of parties which separated from the old 'Janata Parivar', he said after completion of process of merger they would talk to Congress, Left parties and TMC for formation of a larger alternative front against BJP. Asked whether there were talks about who would be face of the united 'Janata Parivar' in Assembly polls in Bihar next year and role of senior leaders like Lalu Prasad and Sharad Yadav, Kumar said all these issues along with those regarding flag and symbol would be settled.