Bihar polls: "Thugbandhan and Lathbandhan," Dharmendra Pradhan on 'friendly fight' within Mahagathbandhan

Patna (Bihar) [India], October 26 (ANI): Union Minister and BJP election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday took a swipe at the Opposition in Bihar, saying that the RJD-Congress-led Mahagathbandhan, which has yet to announce its seat-sharing formula formally, is nothing but a "Lathbandhan".
Speaking to ANI, Pradhan said, "Where is the alliance there? It is 'Lathbandhan'. In their alliance, can anyone tell how many seats Congress is contesting? How many are RJD contesting? It's being said that there's infighting in more than 20 seats. Is this an alliance? It is a 'Thugbandhan' and 'Lathbandhan'."
His remarks came as the Opposition's alliance faces a "friendly fight" in several constituencies, including Narkatiaganj, Vaishali, Raja Pakar, Kahalgaon, Sultanganj, Biharsharif, Chainpur, Kargahar, and Sikandra.
"We are a five-party alliance. We, the BJP, are contesting 101 seats. The JDU is contesting 101 seats. Our Chirag ji's party, the LJP, is contesting 29 seats. Jitan Ram Manjhi ji are contesting six seats, and Kushwaha ji is contesting six seats," Pradhan added.
Earlier on Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also used the "Lathbandhan" jibe against the Opposition and said that only Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar can develop Bihar.
Addressing an election rally in Khagaria, Shah said, "Mahagathbandhan, Lathbandhan, which have a record of corruption, can they develop Bihar? Only Narendra Modi and Nitish Babu, who are not accused of even a penny's worth of corruption, can develop Bihar," the Minister said.
The voting for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, while the results will be declared on November 14.
The main contest is between the ruling Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led NDA and the RJD-led opposition alliance 'Mahagathbandhan.'NDA includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM).
Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD, includes Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML) led by Deepankar Bhattacharya, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP).
Additionally, Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj is also debuting in the state. (ANI)