Giriraj Singh claimed that he was sensing an "unprecedented" enthusiasm among voters
Union minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday filed his nomination papers from Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency where he is locked in a keenly-watched triangular contest with RJDs Tanveer Hassan and CPI debutante Kanhaiya Kumar.
The firebrand BJP leader performed prayers at a local Shiva temple before reaching the collectorate keeping the affair rather low key in view of Fridays incident on the outskirts of the town where a truck had ploughed through a roadside hut killing seven people, including a minor girl.
Talking to reporters, Mr Singh claimed that he was sensing an "unprecedented" enthusiasm among the voters of the constituency who seemed to display "full faith in the country's development, the valour of our armed forces and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
He thereafter left for the venue of a rally in a huge procession wherein he travelled by an open car, waving at the crowds which hurled garlands and flower petals at the Union minister whose change of constituency was necessitated by Begusarai MP Bhola Singhs death and Nawada going to alliance partner LJP headed by Ram Vilas Paswan.
At the rally, the firebrand BJP leader was joined by the party's state unit chief Nityanand Rai, Deputy CM and senior leader Sushil Kumar Modi besides RCP Singh, a top leader of Chief Minister Nitish Kumars JD(U) which is the third NDA constituent in the state.
The NDA leaders exhorted the public to vote for Giriraj Singh in large numbers and expressed confidence that the BJP-led coalition will bag all the 40 seats in Bihar.
Mr Hassan, who was the runner-up here in 2014, and Kumar - who shot to fame upon being booked for sedition while he was the president of JNU students'' union three years ago - would file their nominations next week.
Votes will be cast in Begusarai during the fourth phase of polls on April 29.