The Congress is bracing for the poll battle in Bihar with the party deciding to send central ministers to the state to expose Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s “tall claims” of development and good governance.
The ministers have their task cut out for them. On their preliminary campaign trail beginning July 7, they will have to inform voters about the achievements of the UPA government and apprise them of the central assistance provided to Bihar during the past six years.
The campaign will be kick-started by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia on July 7 from Vaishali. His tour will be followed by Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal to Siwan, Gopalganj and Motihari from July 13.
While Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Sachin Pilot will visit Jehanabad on July 16-17, his colleagues — Minister of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath would be in Madhepura for two days from July 14 and Minister of State for Power Bharatsinh Solanki would campaign in Samastipur, Darbhanga and Chapra on July 21-22.
Rural Development Minister C.P. Joshi has requested the party to assign him any day between July 10 and 15 in view of some pressing work. Similarly, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Minister of State Road Transport and Highways R.P.N. Singh too have agreed to visit the state soon.
{{/usCountry}}Rural Development Minister C.P. Joshi has requested the party to assign him any day between July 10 and 15 in view of some pressing work. Similarly, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Minister of State Road Transport and Highways R.P.N. Singh too have agreed to visit the state soon.
{{/usCountry}}The party is also taking the services of MPs Raj Babbar and Sanjay Nirupam.
The Congress has already decided to go it alone in the assembly polls to be held in October-November after breaking ties with RJD and Lok Janshakti Party in the 2009 LS polls.