'Saanpnath' Owaisi against nationalism, says Giriraj Singh

Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Giriraj Singh on Monday said that the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi is against nationalism, and added, that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will never let RJD chief Lalu Yadav and Owaisi disturb Bihar's political atmosphere.

"Owaisi can never talk about nationalism. The BJP and Owaisi have different ideologies. Owaisi is against nationalism and the BJP is a nationalist party," Singh told media here.

"Lalu Yadav and company and Owaisi are 'Nagnath' and 'saanpnath' (serpents), who are trying to disturb Bihar's (political) atmosphere, BJP will never let it happen," he added.

Congress leader V. Hanumantha Rao had yesterday lashed out at Owaisi over his decision to contest the Bihar Assembly polls, saying that he would divide Muslim votes and help the BJP in the electoral battle.

BJP president Amit Shah announced today that his party would contest 160 seats while Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) would fight for 20 seats in the upcoming polls in Bihar.

Shah further announced that Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) would contest 40 seats while the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) would battle it out on 23 seats.

Polls for the 243-member Bihar Assembly will be held in five phases starting on October 12, and ending on November 5. The counting of votes will take place on November 8.