Bihar polls: Campaigning for 1st phase reaches feverish pitch

Rains and cloudy sky had initially delayed the scheduled programmes of the leaders.

Campaigning for 47 Assembly segments going to polls in the first phase in Bihar on Saturday reached its crescendo with star campaigners,including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,canvassing support despite adverse weather conditions.

Rains and cloudy sky had initially delayed the scheduled programmes of the leaders of various political parties for the poll campaigns this morning.

While Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,proceeded in a chopper to campaign for NDA nominees in Darbhanga as per schedule,rains played a spoilsport with other star campaigners who awaited Air Traffic Control (ATC) clearance for drumming up support in favour of their respective party candidates.

Among those,whose scheduled departure by chartered choppers was delayed,included Deputy Chief Minister S K Modi,state BJP president C P Thakur and the party’s women wing president Smriti Irani.

BJP star campaigner and MP Navjyot Singh Siddhu’s election programme by helicopter was cancelled because of bad weather,party sources disclosed and said senior party leader Arun Jaitley preferred to go to Muzaffarpur for campaigning by road.

Similarly,JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav and Rajya Sabha member Anwar Ali too remained stranded at the state hangar for more than 45 minutes because of rains.

The Prime Minister reached airbase in Purnia by a chartered plane from New Delhi and flew in a helicopter for Narpatganj in Araria district where he addressed an election rally,45 minutes behind his schedule,seeking votes for the Congress.

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The weather also slightly affected the scheduled departure of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his LJP counterpart Ramvilas Paswan for canvassing support for the candidates of their alliance.