Ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav put their differences aside and were on Tuesday present to pay their tribute to Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) founder and former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan at his Shraddh ceremony.
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Paswan had passed away on October 8 following an illness. He was 74. The LJP founder was Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in the Narendra Modi government. He was also a minister in the previous NDA government.
The politicians offered floral tributes to Paswan at his residence in Patna on Tuesday. JDU's working president and PWD minister Ashok Chaudhury was also present with Nitish.
LJP President and Ram Vilas Paswan's son Chirag Paswan touched Nitish's feet and the two leaders were seen talking to each other for few minutes. Nitish also accepted sweets offered by Chirag who was sitting next to Tejashwi Yadav. Yadav had just returned from a poll rally.
Nitish later met Reena Paswan, Ram Vilas Paswan's wife, and offered his condolences. Union minister of state for Home Nityananad Rai, former MP and Jan Adhikar Party president Rajesh Ranjan were also present for the Shraddh ceremony.
Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav and many other politicians were also present for Ram Vilas Paswan's funeral on October 10.
Meanwhile, LJP President and Ram Vilas Paswan's son Chirag Paswan is all set to kickstart his poll campaign from Wednesday from Paliganj constituency, which falls under Patna district.
The LJP chief will campaign for Usha Vidhyarthi who was earlier a legislator from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but after failing to get the ticket from Paliganj, switched to Chirag Paswan's party. Vidyarthi was BJP MLA from 2010 to 2015.
This will be first time Chirag will be leading the party after the demise of his father Ram Vilas Paswan.
Besides, elections to the 243-seat Bihar assembly will be held in three phases--October 28, November 3, and 7 and the counting of votes will take place on November 10.
