Nitish, Tejashwi to jointly campaign for Nov 3 assembly by-polls on Thursday

The by-polls are the first such electoral contest since Kumar parted ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and formed the government with the help of RJD, Congress, and the Left parties

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy, Tejashwi Yadav, will on Thursday campaign for the Rashtrya Janata Dal’s candidates for the November 3 by-polls to Mokama and Gopalganj assembly seats by addressing joint meetings. The by-polls are the first such electoral contest since Kumar parted ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and formed the government with the help of RJD, Congress, and the Left parties.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav will address joint meetings. (PTI)

The meetings are seen as a show of unity after Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) or JD(U), Congress, and Left parties were seen to be avoiding canvassing for the RJD candidates.

Neelam Devi, the RJD candidate from Mokama, is the wife of former jailed lawmaker Anant Singh. Singh was jailed after his conviction in an Arms Act case. He has been critical of Kumar. Mohan Prasad Gupta is the RJD candidate from Gopalganj.

RJD leader Shyam Rajak maintained there was no disunity within the ruling coalition. “Several top leaders from the RJD, Congress, and Left parties have visited the constituencies. Kumar and Tejashwi will address joint meetings on October 27 [Thursday]. Even JD (U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh will be addressing rallies in Mokama.”

Singh is expected to hold roadshows and rallies in Mokama’s Taal area on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Tuesday, union minister Nityanand Rai campaigned in Mokama for BJP’s candidate Sonam Devi. In Gopalganj, the BJP has fielded Kusum Devi, the widow of former minister Subhash Singh, who died in August.