Patna, Oct 16 (IANS): Bihar BJP on Wednesday distanced itself from the upcoming Hindu Swabhiman Yatra of Union Textile Minister Giriraj Singh which is set to begin from Bhagalpur on October 18.

“His yatra is not affiliated with the BJP. The yatra of Giriraj Singh is not taking place under the banner of the BJP,” said Bihar party chief Dilip Jaiswal while reassuring that the yatra will not affect Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s secularism agenda.

“There is nothing to be worried about the yatra,” said the BJP chief.

The yatra will begin in Bhagalpur on October 18 and conclude in Kishanganj on October 22, It will pass through Katihar, Purnea, and Araria - regions known for their significant Muslim population.

Bihar BJP’s stance against the yatra, despite Singh being a prominent BJP leader, highlights the political sensitivities within the BJP-JD-U alliance. The distancing also suggests the BJP may be under pressure from its coalition partner, JD-U, and the Nitish Kumar government, particularly given the region’s communal dynamics.

Neeraj Kumar, the JD-U Chief Spokesperson, has criticised Giriraj Singh’s decision to hold the yatra, which Singh said is aimed at awakening the Hindu community in Bihar, particularly in response to incidents in Bangladesh.

On the Jharkhand Assembly elections and Bihar bypolls, the BJP state chief said that the party will announce its candidates by October 18 or 19.

He also confirmed that an agreement has been reached with JD-U regarding seat sharing in Jharkhand, expressing optimism about future cooperation.

On Prashant Kishor, the BJP chief said he is a "professional" and "future speaker" while referring to Kishor’s earlier remarks criticising the BJP's probable candidate for the Tarari by-poll.

He also criticised Kishor for advocating the lifting of Bihar’s liquor prohibition law, a sensitive issue in the state.

Responding to Tejashwi Yadav's remarks about the health of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he said that no one should question anyone's health.

“One day, such an incident may happen with Tejashwi Yadav too,” he said.