PATNA: Once bitter political rivals, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and former chief minister Nitish Kumar, would soon be seen on stage together campaigning for their ‘grand alliance’ in upcoming bypolls in Bihar.
State JD(U) president Bashishtha Narayan Singh said the two leaders had been speaking to each other quite regularly off late and would campaign together in the run-up to the bypoll to 10 Assembly seats on August 21.
“The grand alliance of JD(U), RJD and Congress would perform exceedingly well in the Assembly bypoll since the BJP-led government at the Centre is fast losing its appeal because of spiralling prices and rail fare hikes,” he asserted.
He said the recent election results in Uttarkhand, where the Congress had won all three seats in the Assembly bypoll, clearly pointed to waning appeal of BJP’s prime minister Narendra Modi among the masses.
The state JD(U) chief said they are confident the electorate in Bihar would give a mandate in favour of the new alliance.
As reported, JD(U) and RJD would contest four seats each while the Congress would fight in the remaining two seats.
The bypoll would be held for Banka, Hajipur, Mohiuddinagar, Chapra, Rajnagar (SC), Mohania (SC), Jale, Parbatta, Narkatiaganj and Bhagalpur Assembly seats.
BJP held six seats as against three by RJD and one by JD(U). BJP would contest nine Assembly seats with one seat going to alliance partner, LJP.
Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav, titans of Bihar politics parted ways in 1994. Lalu became a diehard opponent when Nitish floated Samata Party to end RJD’s ‘Jungle Raj’ in Bihar.
Nitish became the chief minister of the state in 2005 with the support of the BJP riding on a strong anti-Lalu wave. He even won 2010 assembly election by almost wiping out RJD by winning more than 80 per cent seats.