Bihar: Nitish's bicycle to compete against BJP chariots

Patna: JDU has decided to roll out bicycles for canvassing in the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for later this year.

The decision comes after BJP announced that it will use hi-tech 'raths' (chariot) and RJD chief Lalu Prasad decided to use TumTum (horse-cart) as their vehicles for campaigning.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar disclosed the idea at a constituency level meeting of party workers in Phulwari Sharif yesterday. "We will go to every house on bicycle for campaigning. This is the true programme," Kumar said.

JD(U) leader Basistha Narayan Singh said bicycle is the vehicle of the common man and will instantly connect with them. "Against BJP's expensive medium for canvassing, we have gone for less expensive bicycle, which is popular among common men," Singh, who is in New Delhi, said over the telephone.

BJP President Amit Shah had on July 16 flagged off 160 rath (chariot) which he called as "Dhoot" (representative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi) which would roll across Bihar spreading message of development under NDA at the Centre and also "expose" the "unholy" alliance of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad.

RJD president Lalu Prasad had said his party will counter the 160 'Parivartan raths' with 1000 'tumtums'.