Delhi CM Rekha Gupta to campaign in Bihar for three days ahead of November 6 polls

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta begins a three-day campaign in Bihar for NDA candidates, addressing 15 constituencies ahead of assembly polls on Nov 6 and 11.

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta will be on a three-day campaign tour in Bihar to canvass for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates, senior government officials said on Monday. This will be Gupta’s third visit to the state for electioneering.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta along with BJP MP Ravi Kisan and Bankipur Assembly constituency candidate Nitin Navin during campaigning in Patna, Bihar, Monday. (PTI)

Over the next three days, she is scheduled to address gatherings in 15 constituencies, including those going to polls on November 6. “The chief minister will campaign in support of NDA candidates across the state. She will be accompanied by senior leaders of the BJP, leaders of allied parties, as well as party candidates and workers. Besides public meetings, she will also take part in roadshows,” an official said.

Gupta is expected to arrive in Patna on Monday evening and address a rally in the Bankipur Assembly constituency later that night.

During the three-day campaign, she will hold election rallies, public meetings, and roadshows in several constituencies, including Siwan, Barharia, Baikunthpur, and nearby areas on November 4. On November 5, her campaign will cover Gaura Bauram, Arwal, Gaya City, and Aurangabad. On November 6, she is likely to address rallies in Bhagalpur, Warisaliganj, Hisua, and Dinara before returning to New Delhi that night.

Gupta, the lone woman chief minister among the 14 BJP-ruled states, was in Bihar earlier this week to attend the nomination filing of deputy chief minister Vijay Sinha. Party functionaries said she will continue to campaign extensively for the two-phase Bihar assembly polls in the coming weeks.

She also features on the BJP’s list of 40 star campaigners for the Bihar elections, which includes the party’s top leaders and five chief ministers.

The Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11 and counting of votes will take place on November 14.

AAP Delhi state president Saurabh Bharadwaj wrote on X: “The Warrior Moms have written to the health minister about the alarming pollution levels. But during this health emergency, Delhi’s health minister has not been seen in the city for a month, while BJP ministers have been busy campaigning in Bihar.”

AAP’s chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar also posted: “CM Rekha Gupta ji, now that you’re done campaigning in Bihar, please pay some attention to Delhi too. Do you have any plan beyond blaming former CM Arvind Kejriwal?”

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva hit back, saying that if it was wrong for CM Rekha Gupta to visit Bihar during the pollution period, AAP should also explain Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s regular visits to Gujarat, Atishi’s poll duty in Goa, and Gopal Rai’s extended stay in Gujarat. “Before questioning our chief minister and ministers for campaigning in Bihar, the AAP Delhi president should clarify where they managed to bring the non-resident former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia from, just to issue a press statement today,” Sachdeva said.