Patna (Bihar) [India], October 26 (ANI): Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi hailed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, calling him the most capable CM at present, and expressed confidence in the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) victory in the approaching Bihar Assembly Elections 2025.

'The people of Bihar know very well what his (Tejashwi Yadav's) parents (Rabri Devi-Lalu Prasad Yadav) did during their rule before 2005...Therefore, the people of Bihar have made up their minds. On November 14, the NDA government will be formed...At present, there is no chief minister more capable than Nitish Kumar...' he said.

Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday accused previous governments of not doing any work for the Muslim community in the state, using them as a vote bank.

He said the initiatives his government has taken since coming to power include a massive increase in the Minority Welfare Department's budget.

In a post on X, Nitish Kumar wrote, 'Before the year 2005, there was no work for the people of the Muslim community in the state. Prior to that, those who were in power in Bihar used the Muslim community only as a vote bank. Communal clashes used to occur frequently in different parts of the state. Since November 24, 2005, when our government was formed, continuous efforts have been made for the Muslim community. As you all know, in the year 2025-26, the budget of the Minority Welfare Department was increased by 306 times, to 1080.47 crore rupees. To prevent communal incidents in the state, the fencing of sensitive cemeteries began in 2006. So far, more than 8,000 cemeteries have been fenced. In consultation with the Muslim community, 1,273 additional cemeteries have been identified for fencing, of which 746 have been completed, and the work on the remaining ones will be finished soon.'

The voting for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, while the results will be declared on November 14.

The main contest is between the Nitish Kumar-led NDA and the RJD-led opposition alliance Mahagathbandhan.

NDA includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM).

Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), includes Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML), the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP). (ANI)