'Tone down your arrogance'

Taking a dig at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over NDA's setback in Bihar, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said that the prime minister should "step on the accelerator or people will throw him out of the driver's seat" even as he hailed the defeat of the "divisive agenda of BJP and RSS" in the assembly polls.

Gandhi also wanted the prime minister to either "give up or tone down his arrogance", noting that it would benefit not only the country but Modi too.

Gandhi, however, steered clear of questions on whether, like it had done in Bihar, Congress would enter into alliances in other states headed for elections.

He also declined to comment on whether his party would participate in the new government under Nitish Kumar.

"Since Modiji has become Prime Minister, there have been only promises. Start the work. One year has passed and your car is not starting.

"Press the accelerator. If you fail to press the accelerator, like Bihar, the people of the country will open the door and throw you out (of the driver's seat)", a beaming Gandhi told reporters at the AICC headquarters here as party workers celebrated the Bihar verdict.

He also advised the prime minister to give up his foreign tours and talk about Pakistan and instead reach out to the farmers, labourers and unemployed youth to whom he had promised jobs.

"The message from Bihar is echoing all over, which is that the prime minister should listen and try to understand ... Modi, BJP and RSS cannot divide this country. Cannot win elections by pitting Hindus against Muslims. The nation belongs to all," Gandhi asserted.

"This is a victory of unity over divisiveness. Humility over arrogance. Love over hate. A victory of the people of Bihar," the Congress leader said in a series of tweets.

Meanwhile, RJD chief Lalu Prasad yesterday declared Nitish Kumar will continue as Bihar chief minister despite his party emerging as the table topper, while he will launch a nation-wide stir against the "communal" Narendra Modi government.

A jubilant Prasad claimed continuance of the Modi government will "break the nation into pieces".

Accompanied by a smiling Kumar, his foe-turned-ally, Prasad said, "We will continue with our fight. There will be such a long-term impact of Bihar results on the national politics that you cannot imagine."

On his nation-wide stir, Prasad said he will take together farmers, labourers and the deprived sections "to uproot the communal Modi government". "They have been chased out of Bihar."

The grand alliance government will work for the fast development of Bihar and put it on the national map in economic progress, he said.