BJP launches 'Parivartan Yatra' from four places in Bihar

The BJP's 'Parivartan Yatra' was launched simultaneously from four places in Bihar on Wednesday by three union ministers and the Jharkhand chief minister, ahead of the coming assembly polls.

It is part of the BJP's campaign plan to reach out to the people in rural and urban areas to counter Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad and make inroads into their social support base.

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh launched the party's 'Parivartan Yatra' by flagging off a high-tech 'rath' (chariot) from Sonepur, state BJP president Mangal Pandey said.

Sonepur in Saran district, about 50 km from here, is considered a stronghold of Lalu Prasad.

Another union minister Anant Kumar launched the 'yatra' from Rajgir in Nalanda district.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari launched the party's campaign from Dalsinsarai in Samastipur district while Jharkhand chief minister Raghuvar Das kicked off the 'Parivartan Yatra' from Bihta, about 30 km from Patna.

Though the 'Parivartan Yatra' is a BJP show, leaders of its allies like Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) were also present apart from union ministers from Bihar.

LJP MP Rama Singh and Narender Singh ,senior leader of HAM of former chief minister JItan Ram Manjhi, joined Rajnath Singh in Sonepur, RLSP MP Arun Kumar joined Anant Kumar in Rajgir, RLSP chief and union minister Upender Kushwaha joined Nitin Gadkari in Dalsinsarai and HAM's state president Shakuni Choudhary and LJP MP Ramchander Paswan were present at Bihta.

Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said the BJP would speed up its campaign following good public response to the two rallies addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Muzaffarpur and Gaya.

"The BJP has to reach out to every nook and corner across the state," he said.

Last month, BJP president Amit Shah launched the party's high-tech 'Parivartan Rath' campaign. Shah flagged off the 160 GPS-fitted raths (chariots) to reach out to people in all villages across the state.

The party plans to hold 100,000 meetings in 100 days ahead of the assembly elections.