BJP president JP Nadda (PTI photo)

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Saturday sharpened its attack on key rival Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), accusing it of once again embracing “baahubal” politics after fielding late gangster-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin’s son, Osama Shahab, as its candidate from Siwan’s Raghunathpur seat. The ruling camp’s BJP also revived the old “jungle raj” label often used to label the Lalu-Rabri era in Bihar.Addressing a poll rally, BJP president and Union minister Jagat Prakash Nadda launched a sharp attack on Tejashwi Yadav’s party, saying, “RJD nominated late gangster Shahabuddin’s son, which shows it wants to bring back jungle raj in Bihar.”

Recalling the turbulent years of the 1990–2005 RJD regime, Nadda said, “From 1990 to 2005, the rule of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi was a dark era for Bihar — it suffered every kind of loss during that time. It endured every kind of humiliation… But under the leadership of Nitish Kumar for 20 years and 11 years of PM Modi, it has seen its development train back on track.”He urged voters to back the NDA in the upcoming polls: “When you cast your vote on the 6th of November, I want to request that this vote is not just for BJP candidates… It’s a vote to provide stability to Bihar under Nitish Kumar’s leadership and to accelerate development to new heights.”The controversy erupted after RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav personally handed over the party symbol to Osama Shahab, who will make his electoral debut from Raghunathpur – a seat currently held by RJD’s Hari Shankar Yadav. The move has drawn sharp criticism from the BJP-JD(U) led NDA, which sees it as a signal that the opposition party is returning to its old ways.Bihar will vote in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results to be declared on November 14.