New Delhi [India], October 23 : BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain on Thursday hit out at the opposition bloc's "significant differences" and claimed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav failed to resolve internal issues within Mahagathbandhan which has resulted in a friendly fight between the two parties on certain seats in Bihar.
"There are significant differences within the Mahagathbandhan. The NDA has an early lead. Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav have failed to resolve the differences within the Mahagathbandhan. RJD and Congress candidates are contesting against each other. The NDA will win the election and form the government," Hussain told ANI.
Meanwhile, Bihar BJP Dilip Jaiswal launched a scathing attack on the Mahagathbandhan, highlighting internal divisions and questioning the alliance's capacity to govern the state effectively if voted to power.
"The people of Bihar are keeping a strict watch on all the activities of political parties. There is infighting in the 'Mahalathbandhan'. No matter how much they try to explain to the public that they are united, the public has understood that the party that cannot divide seats will not be able to run the government," he said.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav is likely to be announced as the Chief Ministerial candidate by the opposition Mahagathbandhan.
The declaration of Tejashwi as Mahagathbandhan's CM face is expected to be made during a joint press conference by alliance parties. Tejashwi, the Bihar Leader of Opposition (LoP), has previously served as Deputy Chief Minister.
This comes a day after the Congress high command rushed senior party leader Ashok Gehlot to Patna to defuse tensions within the grand alliance.
Gehlot met RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav at their residence in Patna amid reports of a widening rift between alliance partners, stemming from the issue of a "friendly fight" on some assembly seats.
Gehlot, who has been named as Senior Election Observer by the AICC, assured that the INDIA bloc is "fully united" after he and the Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru met with RJD's top leadership.
Gehlot had informed that the Mahagathbandhan will hold a press conference on October 23 to show the strength of the alliance. He also slammed the BJP for running a "sponsored campaign" in Bihar to create an "environment" that would suggest a rift within the alliance.
The 2025 Bihar elections will have the main contest between the National Democratic Alliance and the Mahagathbandhan.
NDA includes the Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal, includes Congress party, 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 has also staked claims on all 243 seats of the state.