New Delhi, Oct 21 With the Bihar Assembly elections round the corner, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav will address their first joint rally in the poll-bound state on October 23, party sources said on Wednesday.
The first such rally by Grand Alliance leaders is slated to be held in Hisua in Nawada district of Bihar to show the Mahagathbandhan unity and send out a message to the party cadres ahead of first phase of polling on October 28.
The rally also aims to send out a message to the Bihar voters that the Grand Alliance is well placed and also to unite cadre of all constituent parties of the alliance, a Congress leader said.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav is drawing huge crowds despite the absence of his father Lalu Prasad, an RJD leader said, adding that the joint rally will send out a message to the religious minorities to remain united as the Janata Dal-United is also out to lure them through their community leaders.
The elections for 243 Assembly seats will be held in three phases for 71 seats on October 28, for 94 seats on November 3, and remaining 78 on November 7. The results will be announced on November 10.
The Congress is contesting 70 seats in alliance with the RJD and Left parties.
The challenge before the Grand Alliance is to prevent the split of anti-BJP voters, though its attempt to stitch an umbrella alliance failed when Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, Vikassheel Insaan Party and Hindustani Awam Morcha walked out. While the VIP and HAM have since joined the NDA, RLSP has forged an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party.
The Congress on Wednesday also released its manifesto for the state polls. Congress affairs incharge Shakti Singh Gohil said: Our 'Badlav Patr'(change manifesto) is about waiver of farm loans and electricity bills and to increase irrigation facilities in Bihar. "If Grand Alliance government returns to power in Bihar, we will reject the NDA government's farm laws by bringing in state Bills in the Assembly, as we did in Punjab."
The two theme songs released by the party mentions migrant crisis, Covid-19 mishandling, Bihar floods and Nitish Kumar government's alleged inability to tackle the crises.
( With inputs from IANS )
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