"Criminal icons of that time are still being given tickets": JDU MP Sanjay Jha targets opposition ahead of Bihar polls

Patna (Bihar) [India], October 18 (ANI): With less than two weeks to go for the Bihar assembly polls, Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha on Saturday said that the ruling party had demanded that the assembly polls be held in one phase, citing an improvement in the law and order situation.
Speaking to ANI in Patna, Jha said, "Earlier, elections were held in six phases and used to go on for two months... Now, even Naxalism has ended over here, and the law and order situation is so good that our party had demanded only one phase."
He also alleged that industrials and children were kidnapped earlier, in an apparent swipe at the previous RJD government.
'"Earlier, children were kidnapped from schools. Doctors and industrialists were kidnapped, and calls were made from the houses of politicians in Patna for ransom," JD(U) MP added.
Jha expressed concern that candidates with criminal records continue to contest elections. "Criminal icons of that time are still being given tickets. Even today, these people are with the same people who for years defamed Bihar in the country and the world," Jha further said.
Earlier today, Janata Dal (United) leader Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said that the leaders of the Mahagathbandhan were "wielding swords against each other" amid the ongoing stalemate within the opposition alliance over the seat allocation for the two-phased Bihar assembly polls.
He also claimed that RJD has put up a candidate against the Congress for the assembly poll.
"The opposition has already been defeated even before the elections began. Their own leaders are wielding swords against each other. Congress has also resolved to teach the RJD a lesson this time. The RJD has even fielded a candidate against the state Congress president," Prasad told ANI.
The JDU leaders suggested that the Congress should fight the elections alone, as the RJD is likely to be defeated.
"There are nearly a dozen seats in the first phase where a fierce contest between the two parties is expected to be witnessed... Congress, counting its last breaths, should decide to part ways. This time, the RJD is also doomed," Prasad added.
The political temperatures rises in Bihar ahead of the 243-seat Assembly polls as the Mahagathbandhan, comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Indian National Congress (INC) and Left parties, including Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation-CPIML (Liberation) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM), is delaying their candidate selection and seat distribution.
Meanwhile, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) shared a seat distribution list, and the party has already begun its groundwork across key constituencies.
Polling for the Bihar elections 2025 will take place on November 6 and 11. The results will be announced on November 14. (ANI)