Patna, Oct 31 (IANS): After LJP-Ram Vilas leader Chirag Paswan announced he would campaign for BJP candidates in the November 3 Bihar bypolls, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday dismissed him as "just a child".

"He was associated with BJP in the past and I am not surprised when he is going with it. We all know how he gave tickets to candidates to contest against JD-U in the 2020 assembly election," he said.

"I gave great respect to Ram Vilas Paswan and also supported him in the early part of our politics. I had been meeting him in Delhi when he was alive. Our relationship was very old. It is extremely unfortunate that he is no longer with us. After his departure, his son is saying anything he wants to me," Nitish Kumar said.

His deputy and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said that BJP is afraid of the grand alliance in Bihar, hence it has brought Chirag Paswan to campaign for saffron candidates in Mokama and Gopalganj.

"BJP is realising the defeat in Mokama and Gopalganj, hence it is bringing Chirag Paswan and leaders of other states for the campaign. The ground situation for the BJP in Bihar is the worst. Its candidates would not win the by-poll in these two places," he said.

On Nitish Kumar not campaigning in Mokama and Gopalganj, Tejashwi Yadav said: "He is injured in the stomach and hence he is not going for the physical campaign. We have three election rallies in Mokama and Gopalganj where I, JD-U national President Lalan Singh and JD-U state President Umesh Kushwaha are going."