Bihar CM Nitish congratulates Naidu on becoming Andhra CM

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday congratulated N Chandrababu Naidu, the Telugu Desam Party chief who has assumed power in Andhra Pradesh.

Kumar spoke to Naidu over phone and hoped that the southern state would progress under the latter’s stewardship, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office here.

Kumar heads the JD(U), which has emerged as the second largest ally, after TDP, of the ruling BJP-led NDA at the Centre.

With the BJP falling short of a majority in Lok Sabha, fine electoral performances by the two alliances came in handy for the return to power of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a third consecutive term.

Both TDP and JD(U) have been rewarded with two berths each in the Union Council of Ministers.

Assembly elections were held in Andhra Pradesh along with Lok Sabha polls and the TDP, which fought in alliance with the BJP and Jana Sena Party, defeated the YSRCP headed by Naidu’s predecessor Jaganmohan Reddy.