Ticket aspirants from across Bihar are driving down in Sports Utility Vehicles to the party offices and official bungalows of party supremos. M I Khan reports.

The number of Sports Utility Vehicles lined up outside the official bungalows of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal supreme Lalu Prasad Yadav is growing by the day.

With latest pre-poll surveys giving a clear edge to the grand alliance of Janata Dal-United-RJD-Congress, election ticket seekers have been thronging the leaders’ residence.

But there are many who don’t doubt the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prospects in the five-phase poll and have been making the rounds of the party’s office at Patna’s Beer Chand Patel Marg.

Some have been parked around for days.

Says JD-U ticket aspirant Ashok Kumar Singh: “We have been waiting here since Thursday to meet Nitish Kumar, but his staff told us that he has ordered the resumes to be submitted in his office or the JD-U state office.”

The grand alliance has finalized its seat-sharing pact -- the JD-U and RJD will contest 100 seats each out of the 243 assembly segments and the Congress will contest on 40.

Don’t compare the number of vehicles parked. We have enough parked outside our office as well. Our ticket aspirants are upbeat and confident, BJP leader Sanjay Mayunkh told rediff.com.

RJD office secretary Chandeshwar Prasad Singh, who claims to receive at least 200 to 300 resumes everyday, said Lalu Yadav has strictly asked ticket-seekers not to meet him at his residence unless they get a call from him.

Photograph: M I Khan