Patna (Bihar) [India], October 24 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj Tiwari on Friday accused the opposition Mahagathbandhan of merely considering Muslims as a 'vote bank' and not providing them with benefits.

Speaking to reporters here, Tiwari said that benefits to the Muslim community have been provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar instead. He also said that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav had to 'struggle' to declare himself as Chief Ministerial candidate, given the infighting within the Mahagathbandhan.

'They only consider Muslims as their vote bank, but they never do anything to provide benefits to them. PM Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar have provided benefits to Muslims. There is so much infighting in the Mahagathbandhan that RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had to struggle to declare himself as the CM face of the Mahagathbandhan. Everything is not well in Mahagathbandhan,' Tiwari said.

Earlier in the day, Tejashwi Yadav slammed the Nitish Kumar-led double-engine government, saying that it has exploited the people of Bihar for the last 20 years.

Speaking to ANI, Yadav said that people remain 'unhappy' with the current government.

'This is people's love (towards me). The people of Bihar want change. They are unhappy with the present government. For 20 years, people of Bihar have been exploited. The people will avenge this time. There will be more Deputy CMs, you will get to know about this in a few days,' Yadav said.

Yadav, who is contesting the assembly elections in Bihar from the Raghopur assembly constituency, has been named as the Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming polls, scheduled to be held in two phases on November 6 and 11.

Mukesh Sahani, who heads the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), has been named the Deputy CM nominee.

The 2025 Bihar elections will have the main contest between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan.

The assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results will be declared on November 14. (ANI)