Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav will not be present at the rally of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi in West Champaran district today as the two would be busy with ticket distribution.
Bihar Congress president Ashok Choudhary said that they have received a communication that like RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is occupied with seat allotment and selection of candidates and hence would not be able to it make to the Ramnagar programme.
He, however, said too much of political meaning should not be read into it.
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JD(U) general secretary KC Tyagi said, "Party has authorised me to participate in the rally of Rahul Gandhi."
Tyagi said as Kumar would be involved in ticket distribution, he has to stay in the state capital and will not be able to make it to Rahul's programme at Ramnagar on the occasion of birth anniversary of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar.
There would be many occasions in the near future when senior leaders of the 'grand secular alliance' -- JD(U), RJD and Congress -- would share dias during poll, Tyagi claimed.
Kumar did not comment about his absence from the Rahul programme but tweeted a message "Mahagathbandhan has finalized the list of seats each party would be contesting. The formal list will be issued on September 19."
RJD president Lalu Prasad has already announced that he would not be able to go to Ramnagar and instead he would send his son Tejaswi Yadav.
"Tomorrow's (Saturday) programme at Ramnagar is strictly a Congress function to observe the 125th birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar. Since its election time in Bihar we had invited leaders of secular alliance. But, because of their preoccupation in seat allotment and selection of candidates Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar have expressed inability to come," Choudhary said.
Ramnagar, 40 km from district headquarter Bettiah, is dominated by Schedule Castes and Tharu tribes. It borders Nepal and is about 15-20 km from Bhitarwah from where Mahatama Gandhi had launched his satyagraha in 1917.
Ramnagar (reserved seat) is presently represented by Bhagirathi Devi of BJP.
Bihar Assembly elections will be held in five phases between October 12 and November 5 the results will be announced on November 8.
With Agency Inputs
