Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav is among 25 star campaigners in a list issued by All India Congress Committee on Saturday for the Karnataka Assembly polls.

Other non-Congress leaders in the list are the SP's Akhilesh Yadav and the NCP's Sharad Pawar. From the Congress there are Sachin Pilot, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Raj Babbar and many more.

Tejashwi's mention on the list is evidence of his growing clout ever since his father and party chief Lalu Prasad went to jail. Senior politicians like Shatrughan Sinha and Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury had praised him just two days ago and in the recent past author Chetan Bhagat had tweeted saying Tejashwi was India's bravest politician.

The BJP and the JDU are disappointed at the Congress move to field Tejashwi on the campaign trail. "The condition of the Congress is deteriorating by the day. It's influence is waning," senior BJP leader and road construction minister Nand Kishore Yadav said. "The Congress thinks it can increase its influence by roping in such people, but by aligning with the RJD, the Congress has decided to sink."

The JDU said that by listing Tejashwi the Congress had shown it could go to any extent to compromise with graft. "Tejashwi, Sharad Pawar and Akhilesh Yadav being made star campaigners shows how desperate the Congress is to retain Karnataka," JDU spokesperson Ajay Alok said. "They're not afraid of taking the help of a tainted man who owns 26 assets despite being just 28 years of age. Also, the Congress talks about corruption by the Chief Justice of India, against whom it has proposed an impeachment motion, but is taking Lalu Prasad's help."

Congress MLC Prem Chand Mishra welcomed the AICC decision, saying such a thing will make ties between the RJD and the Congress stronger. "It is a positive step and Tejashwi ji is the Leader of the Opposition. His name as star campaigner reflects the understanding between the Congress and the RJD," Prem said.

"As far as the BJP is concerned, they should say what made them make a person like B.S. Yeddyurappa its chief ministerial face. He faces several corruption charges and was even stripped of his Karnataka BJP post," said newly elected Congress MLC Mishra.