Bihar Rajya Sabha polls: BJP to meet twice tomorrow

PATNA: Keeping its stand a closely guarded secret, the BJP today said its legislature party would meet twice tomorrow to chart out its strategy for the bypoll on two Rajya Sabha seats on Thursday.

Speaking to the reporters here, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi refused to divulge his party's strategy for the Rajya Sabha by-poll and said "the party's legislature party would meet twice tomorrow." One meeting will be held in day time and another in the evening, he said.

Two independent candidates - Anil Sharma and Sabir Ali - have entered into fray against JD(U)'s nominees Pawan Verma and Gulam Rasool Baliyawi in the RS bypoll. JD(U) president Sharad Yadav has already been declared elected unopposed for the third seat last week.

As many as 20 JD(U) MLAs had turned rebel and proposed the candidature of Sharma and Ali on June nine much to the embarrassment of the JD(U) leadership which has been wary of the BJP voting for the independents.

Rattled by the fact that the rebel MLAs joining hands with the BJP could turn the tables on it, the JD(U) leadership has spoken to the RJD chief Lalu Prasad and solicited his support in favour of the ruling party candidates.