Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, his deputy Samrat Choudhary call on PM, Shah

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his first visit to the national capital after retaining charge of the eastern state a month ago following the NDA's landslide victory in the assembly election.

Kumar, accompanied by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary and JD(U) leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, met Modi and Shah separately and is believed to have discussed various issues -- both development and political -- related to the state.

"Chief Minister of Bihar, Shri @NitishKumar, Deputy CM, Shri @samrat4bjp and Union Minister, Shri @LalanSingh_1 met Prime Minister @narendramodi today," the Prime Minister's Office said on 'X'.

Earlier, the chief minister, along with his deputy Choudhary and Union Minister Singh, met Shah at his residence.

"Met Chief Minister of Bihar Shri @NitishKumar ji, Union Minister Shri @LalanSingh_1 ji, and the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Shri @samrat4bjp ji. Under the leadership of Modi ji and Nitish ji, the NDA government is committed to taking public welfare and good governance in the state to even greater heights," Shah said in a message on 'X' in Hindi.

After their meeting with the prime minister, Choudhary said that following the resounding mandate received by the NDA in Bihar, the chief minister, he and Singh had a courtesy meeting with PM Modi, the "world's most popular leader".

"Under the guidance and leadership of esteemed Modi ji, the country and Bihar are continuously progressing. During this time, valuable guidance was also received on the goals of a developed Bihar," Choudhary wrote on 'X' in Hindi.

During their meetings, the Bihar leaders are believed to have discussed various issues related to the development of the state, sources said.

The expansion of the state cabinet and the forthcoming elections to five Rajya Sabha seats are learnt to have figured in the meetings, sources said.

Kumar had arrived here on Sunday for a two-day visit and returned to Patna this evening.

Election to the 243-member Bihar assembly was held in November, in which the NDA secured 202 seats and Kumar returned as chief minister for the 10th term in office.

Among the NDA partners, the BJP won 89 seats, the JD(U) bagged 85, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) 19, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) five and Rashtriya Lok Morcha won four seats. PTI ABS ACB RT