Senior JD(U) leader and former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar today interacted with party Parliamentarians, Legislators and office bearers over his 'Sampark Yatra' starting from November 13.
The interaction programme at Kumar's 7 Circular Road residence started from 10 am and continued throughout the day.
State JD(U) chief Basistha Narayan Singh and a host of ministers, MPs and MLAs were present, JD(U) sources said.
Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is absent as he has gone to Bodh Gaya to receive Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
Singh told reporters the meeting was in connection with Kumar's 16-day "Samparak yatra" starting from November13.
Asked if Legislators could discuss issues related to their constituency or working of the government, he said the agenda is yatra. But, a Legislator or an office bearer is free to discuss issues concerning their constituency.
Kumar is meeting people district wise to take feed back from party leaders, the sources said.
The November 13 to 29 yatra will begin from Champaran district and terminate at Patna.
Party leader Awnish Kumar Singh, who had unsuccessfully contested from Motihari Lok Sabha seat, said beginning yatra from Champaran is a great idea as Mahatama Gandhi had also launched his "Satyagrah" from the district.
The people of Champaran would expose Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP's "drum beating" falsehoods among people, he said.
Kumar, who would be JD(U)'s face in the Assembly election due next year, will be on a whirlwind tour where he will address 32 public meetings in as many districts. He would cover two districts every day.
Nitish Kumar, during his tenure as the Chief Minister, had embarked on three 'yatras' across Bihar -- Vikas Yatra in 2009, Seva Yatra in 2011 and Adhikar Yatra in 2013. All the three state-wide tours had commenced from Bettiah.
Meanwhile, opposition BJP has mocked Kumar's interaction programme.
Leader of Opposition in Assembly Nand Kishore Yadav said that Kumar had no time to meet victims of recent stampede in which 33 persons were killed or those who lost lives in serial blasts in Patna as well Bodh Gaya last year.
