RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav urged people to light diyas, candles and lanterns on terraces, at balconies or outside their houses for nine minutes from 9 p.m. on Wednesday to mark their protest against privatisation of state-run establishments and Bihar government’s “inability” to provide jobs to youths.

The RJD’s heir apparent has urged party leaders and workers to extend support to the initiative of the self-help groups and unemployed youths.

“I, along with my mother Rabri Devi, will light a lantern for nine minutes at 9 pm tonight on the terrace of my house in support of jobless youths who are expressing anger against unemployment and self-help groups who are opposing privatisation of government establishments,” he tweeted on Wednesday morning.

The party has been focussing on youths ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the State.

Mr. Yadav had launched ‘www.berozgarihatao.co.in’ portal and a toll-free number on September 5 to prepare a database of unemployed youths, whom he promised jobs if his party comes to power in the State.

The ruling JD(U), on the other hand, has questioned the significance of lantern (RJD’s election symbol) at a time when “every household in Bihar is connected with power supply“.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, while addressing a rally through his party’s new digital platform ‘jdulive.com’ on September 7, had said his government has already given power connection to every household in the state by October, 2018.

Mr. Kumar, in a swipe at the RJD, said people are getting power supply for over 22 hours every day, thus marking the end of the “lantern age”.