Yes, Shatrughan Sinha is second only to Prime Minister Vajpayee himself in popular appeal in Bihar. Voters spread over the 54 constituencies in the state await his visit to their respective areas. They come out in huge numbers to see, listen to him. Shartughan Sinha, `Shotgun' in short, has been doing this for BJP since early 1980s. The '90s have only added to his stature.

Understanding his unique value, BJP cannot afford to spare him during campaigning period. He covers as many as six election meetings in a day, flying back and forth in a chopper. One day's fatigue does not deter him from following the same regimen the next day.

In one such trip, The Financial Express accompanied him to the flood-affected north Bihar. After addressing a rally at Rourkela (Orissa) on Wednesday, he was ready to visit five more constituencies (Betiah, Gopalganj, Maharajganj, Baliah and Darbhanga) as all of them go to polls on September 25.

Sporting his Ray Ban glasses and dressed in spotless white shirt and trousers, the Shotgun was going to Bettiah first. None, at least not he, was surprised to see a huge crowd awaiting him at Chanpatia (near Betiah).

Said one Arbind Kumar a Kuswaha by caste near the helipad: "We have not only come to hear our Bihari Babu but we also want to make sure that Atalji becomes the Prime Minister again. I can only say that BJP candidate Madan Prasad Jaiswal will be able to defeat RJD's Moitur Rahman."

Asked about the role of Muslims and Yadavs in the area, Kumar said, "They are with Laloo Yadav. But here kuswaha, Bania, Rajput and Bhumihars are all with Jaiswal.

Meanwhile, Shatrughan Sinha using his rhetorical style impresses upon the crowd and the policemen on duty.

The next stop is Kateyan in Gopalganj where the former RJD minister and now president of the state Samata Party Raghunath Jha is a candidate Jha is present at the pad to welcome the star campaigner with a wide grin. The crowd here again is huge by village standards and all the rooftops near the venue are packed.

The gathering responds favourably when "Bihar's pride" says: Lallu (Laloo Yadav) ne apne nau saal ke raaj me Bihar to barbad kar diya (Laloo destroyed Bihar completely in his nine year rule)."

Sinha tells the crowd why it is important to vote for BJP: "What Atal (Bihari Vajpayee) has done in thirteen months, Laloo could not do it in nine years."

Cutting across the caste divide, Sinha comes up as a major cementing force for any NDA candidate in the state.

"It is surprising that people of Bihar still vote on caste basis and not on issue like lack of developmental work done," says the pilot of the helicopter, Capt APS Bhattal, who is a native of Punjab.

All the five meetings are similar in nature and the crowd never seems to be dwindling. When asked how he felt being the star campaigner of BJP and NDA, a modest Sinha said brushes aside the query and says: "This time the wave is only for Vajpayee. He is getting the support and sympathy from the public all over the country. Every voter now is aware why the elections are being held so frequently and how the Congress toppled the Vajpayee government and failed to form an alternative government."

He adds that the politicians have "no right to take the country for granted; there must be a confidence motion in the Parliament before any no-confidence motion is taken-up".