M A I N   N E W S

Sonia, PM to campaign in Bihar next week
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 2
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi are scheduled to campaign for the third and final round of the Bihar Assembly elections next week.

Dr Singh will spend a day campaigning in Sitamarhi and Saharsa on November 8. This is the Prime Minister’s first and only visit to the state for the ongoing election.

Mrs Gandhi is scheduled to address four election meetings on November 10 at Araria, Chapra, Benipatti and Chinpultia. This will be the Congress President’s second and last tour of the election-bound state.

The Congress campaign has been fairly low-key this time given the general disinterest in the election and also the fact that the party is only contesting 51 seats.

Besides, the Bihar election is essentially all about RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his challenger JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar. The others, including the Congress, are all bit players. The Congress support base in the state has eroded substantially over the years and it has no state leadership or organisation to pull it through. Although the Congress President is the party’s star campaigner, even she has been unable to garner votes in Bihar’s polarised polity.