File photo of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav together.
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Lalu Prasad Yadav campaigned together today in what can safely be billed as the mega political reunion of the year. They will address public rallies at Hajipur and Mohadi Nagar. (Read:
Lalu Prasad And Nitish Kumar to Campaign Together Starting Monday)
The two former chief ministers of Bihar, bitter political rivals for over 20 years, have been brought together by the common need to keep the BJP from posting yet another big win in the state after almost sweeping it in the general elections two months ago. (
Nitish, Lalu, Congress Reach Agreement for Bihar By-Poll)
At stake this time are 10 assembly seats for which by-elections will be held later this month. Under a seat sharing formula, Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal - United and Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal will contest four seats each and the Congress will contest two. These by-elections are being seen as testing grounds for assembly elections due next year. (
Read: In Bihar By-Elections, Nitish Teams With Lalu, BJP Seeks Pyjama)
The two leaders are expected to address at least five rallies together in the next few days.
There has been intense curiosity in Bihar on whether Mr Kumar would indeed campaign along with Mr Yadav; his political career in the last two decades has been built on denouncing Lalu and his party, which ruled the state before the JD(U) ousted it in 2005.
Both leaders had skipped the announcement of the alliance for the by-elections last month.
Soon after the BJP won a handsome mandate in the general elections to form government at the Centre in May this year, Nitish Kumar had quit as chief minister of Bihar, owning responsibility for his party's crushing defeat.
The BJP, which was dumped by Mr Kumar in June last year ending a 17-year-partnership, won 31 of the state's 40 seats along with its allies. Mr Kumar's JD(U) could win only two seats.
Floundering and hit by desertions in the state assembly, Mr Kumar was offered help by Lalu Yadav, who now also supports the JD(U) government in Bihar. (
Read: Why Lalu Decided to Back Nitish's Candidates in Rajya Sabha Polls)
Mr Kumar and Mr Yadav were once prominent young leaders in the Janata Party in the 1970s before launching their own political parties.