United opposition defeated us in Bihar: BJP

After its huge electoral setback in Bihar, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said that a united opposition was one of the main reasons for the loss.

"The main cause of our defeat in Bihar is the coming together of the opponents. We had thought Mahagatbandhan would not be able to consolidate their votes as a front. This view turned out to be wrong" Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told media persons after a meeting of the BJP's Parliamentary board meet in the national capital.

"Vote transferability was much better in Mahagathbandhan than in the NDA. Our assumption that the three parties of the Grand Alliance wouldn't be able to transfer their votes fully was wrong," he added.

Jaitley also said the BJP and the NDA respects the mandate given by the people of Bihar and hoped the new government would work for the progress of the state.

"We accept the challenge, will play the role of opposition in Bihar," he added.

Jaitley rejected the suggestion that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's quota remark was a reason for the BJP's defeat in the state.

"No election is decided on one statement, it is a different kind of mathematics," he added.

Jaitley was addressing the media a day after the Mahatgathbandhan led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, RJD leader Lalu Yadav and the Congress secured a massive two-thirds majority win in the Bihar state assembly elections.

The Mahagthbandhan secured 178 seats for itself, while the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which fancied its chances of winning Bihar could manage a paltry 58 seats, 53 of them won by the BJP.

The NDA was left in state of unexpected disarray, given that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was projected as its star campaigner, and took time out of his hectic official schedule to address 26 rallies across the state.