Giriraj Singh Falls in Line, Files Nomination from Begusarai in Bihar

Begusarai (Bihar): 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 the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tanveer Hassan and Communist Party of India debutante Kanhaiya Kumar.

The firebrand BJP leader performed worship at a local Shiva temple before reaching the collectorate, keeping the affair rather low-key in view of Friday’s mishap 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 on the occasion, 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, Singh 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. 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.

Singh had expressed discontent with the BJP leadership in Bihar for changing his seat from Nawada to Begusarai without consulting him. The sitting MP from Nawada had also hinted at not representing Begusarai, claiming as the move by the saffron party had hurt his self respect.

However, he was placated by BJP chief Amit Shah, who had promised that the party would resolve all of Singh's problems.