D K Shivakumar said the Bihar results were a “lesson” and stressed the need for a fresh strategy for the Congress and INDIA bloc.
He withheld comments on the NDA’s welfare schemes influencing voters, saying he would assess reports before responding.
Early trends showed the NDA leading in over 180 seats, signalling a major victory and the BJP’s potential biggest tally in Bihar.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D K Shivakumar on Friday said the Bihar election results signalled the need for a renewed strategy for both the Congress and the INDIA bloc. His remarks came as early trends showed the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) heading toward a sweeping victory in the state.
Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said the mandate reflected the people’s decision and must be treated as a lesson for the opposition alliance. “The mandate has been given by the people. It is a lesson to us. I think in the future we will work out a new strategy for the Congress party and the INDIA bloc,” he said.
Responding to questions on whether welfare schemes—particularly the NDA’s ₹10,000 direct benefit transfer for women—contributed to the alliance’s strong performance, Shivakumar said he would comment after reviewing detailed reports.
Bihar voted in two phases on November 6 and 11. The NDA has taken commanding leads in over 180 of the 243 assembly seats, with trends indicating that the BJP is on course for its highest-ever tally in the state.
