A rarity it might be but politicians cutting across party lines are united on taking a breather from campaigning.

Almost all politicians in Bihar and those on tour because of the elections have decided to take a short break from campaigning owing to Durga Puja.

Most of the Bihar-based leaders would continue with their campaigning till October 21 forenoon, whereas Dussehra would be a kind of Sabbath for them.

Even senior BJP leaders who are camping in Bihar would go back to their home states during the break.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad are addressing five to eight rallies a day.

Similarly, from the NDA camp, BJP president Amit Shah, former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular president Jitan Ram Manjhi, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party head Upendra Kushwaha and Lok Janshakti Party boss Ram Vilas Paswan are addressing five to seven rallies a day.

Apart from them, there are more than a dozen Union ministers who are making rounds in Bihar to campaign in different Assembly constituencies.

Nitish Kumar, who has addressed 110 public meetings so far, will campaign for half a day on October 21.

He would take a break on Dussehra. An office-bearer of the JDU, who is involved in planning the itinerary of Nitish, said he would address six rallies - three each in Nalanda and Patna - on Tuesday. He would address three rallies on October 21.

"So far, the venues for the three rallies on October 21 have not yet been decided. Every year during Durga Puja, he visits Dakbungalow Pandal and Patan Devi shrine in Patna City. He is also the chief guest for the Dussehra celebrations at Gandhi Maidan. From October 23, Nitish ji would resume campaigning, which would continue till November 3 (5pm)," said a senior JDU leader.

Nitish had started the campaign from Kalyanpur in Samastipur on September 26 and Lalu from Raghopur the next day.

Lalu would also take a break on October 22 and would spend time with family.

His eldest daughter, Misa Bharti, who had started her campaigning from October 9, would do the same, as she would spend time with her husband Shailesh Kumar and daughters Durga Bharti and Gauri Bharti. So far, Lalu has addressed 98 rallies.

Compared to the Grand Alliance, even the NDA leaders have campaigned in equal number. They would all take a breather for a day too.

On top of the campaign list is Sushil Kumar Modi with 90 rallies, of which, 73 are public meetings and 17 road shows. He had started the campaign from Banka on September 21, way before Nitish and Lalu.

An aide of Sushil Kumar Modi said: "Modi ji would address two to three rallies on October 21 and take a break on October 22. Most of the BJP leaders would do the same and the Union ministers campaigning in Bihar would go back to Delhi on the evening of October 21."

Jitan Ram Manjhi has thought of taking a break on October 22 and 23.

"Manjhi ji would be in his native village (Mahakar) for two days and would resume campaigning from October 24," said Danish Rizwan, the national spokesperson of the Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular.

At the airport on Monday, several leaders of the Grand Alliance and the NDA, including Nitish, Lalu, Misa Bharti, Amit Shah, Manjhi and Radha Mohan Singh, boarded choppers to address rallies.