Indian PM Modi's BJP suffers defeat in election seen as referendum

NEW DELHI, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conceded defeat on Sunday for his governing Bharatiya Janata Party in a key regional election, a severe political setback.

An alliance of parties linked to the main opposition Congress party in the Bihar state assembly ran against the BJP. The result is considered as a referendum on Modi's economic program after his convincing victory in last year's national elections.

The BJP and its allies won less than half of the seats the opposition gained in the 243-member state assembly. The northeastern Bihar state is one of India's largest, with a population of 100 million.

Bihar is also one of India's poorest states. Millions are subsistence farmers without electricity or plumbing. Modi said he reached out to Nitish Kumar, the leader of the anti-Modi alliance and current chief minister of Bihar, to congratulate him.

Had a telephone conversation with Shri @nitishkumar & congratulated him on the victory.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 8, 2015

Kumar teamed up with longtime rival Lalu Prasad Yadav to defeat Modi's party. Kumar worked to portray Modi as an elitist outsider who failed to deliver on campaign promises made last year -- recently stating that Modi "aroused the expectations of the people" but "has done nothing."

"Bihar has voted! I congratulate the people of Bihar on the huge turnout. The spirit & power of democracy has won," Kumar wrote on Twitter. "I thank the people of Bihar for their overwhelming support & blessings."