Now, BJP MLA accuses party of selling ticket to criminal

A BJP legislator in Bihar on Sunday said that the party had "sold ticket" to jailed former parliamentarian Mohammad Shahabuddin's shooter Manoj Singh for Rs.2 crore.

"The BJP denied a ticket to me, a sitting legislator, but sold the ticket to Shahabuddin's shooter Manoj for Rs.2 crore," said Vikram Kunwar, the BJP legislator from Raghunathpur assembly segment in Siwan district.

Kunwar's claim comes a day after BJP parliamentarian R.K. Singh caused embarrassment to the party by accusing it of giving tickets for the Bihar assembly polls in return for money.

Kunwar said R.K. Singh, a former union home secretary, had rightly raised this issue. "I am an example of the issue R.K. Singh raised in public about how the party had given tickets for the Bihar assembly polls in return for money," he said.

Shahabuddin is currently lodged in jail, serving a life term in a murder case.

R.K. Singh said earlier the family members of certain BJP leaders and criminals were given tickets at the cost of committed party workers.

"The BJP distributed tickets by taking money, fielded family members and relatives of party leaders and gave tickets to criminals," the Lok Sabha member from Ara constituency said.

R.K. Singh, who joined the BJP ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, also expressed displeasure over denial of BJP tickets to rightful candidates.

"What is the difference between you (BJP) and Lalu Prasad if you give tickets to criminals," Singh asked.