Cong, RJD kick-start joint Bihar poll campaign

The parties kick-started their joint poll campaign for the upcoming assembly elections, asking the voters to ensure the defeat of communal forces.

After completing the seat-sharing exercise, the Congress and RJD on Sunday kick-started their joint poll campaign for the coming Bihar assembly elections, asking the voters to ensure the defeat of communal forces.

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Congress General Secretary and in-charge of Bihar Digvijay Singh, state party president Sadanand Singh and two RJD Union ministers -- Jay Prakash Yadav and Akhilesh Singh -- started the joint poll campaign from Bhojpur district on Gandhi Jayanti, addressing meetings at Sahar, Sandesh and Dinara.

Addressing a rally at Sahar, Digvijay Singh appealed to the people to ensure defeat of the communal forces in the coming assembly poll.

"The communal forces represented by BJP are trying to grab power to carry forward their divisive policy. They should not be allowed to succeed in their evil designs," he said in a scathing attack on the NDA.

He praised RJD President and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad for fighting all along for the cause of the poor and assured if the Congress-RJD secular alliance came to power, the welfare of the poor and downtrodden would gain pace.

Congress candidate Ms Jyoti is contesting the Sahar assembly seat as secular alliance common nominee.

Jay Prakash Yadav hailed the 15-year rule of RJD in Bihar, which he said gave "honour" to the poor.

Candidate Akhilesh Singh said if the RJD-led coalition came to power in the state it would speed up the developmental programme with the help of a "favourable" UPA government at the Centre.