Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar denied the apparent friction between Lalu Prasad and Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi since the show of unity in June when the alliance to take on the BJP was announced.
Nitish Kumar, who is running for a third term as Bihar Chief Minister, has accused the BJP of trying to import the controversy swirling around beef-eating into the state ahead of polls next week.
In an interview to NDTV, Mr Kumar said the BJP was trying to whip up trouble in Bihar over the mob killing in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh of a Muslim man over rumours that he had beef in his house.
"This (beef controversy) is a non-issue for us. It will not become an issue in Bihar," asserted the 64-year-old Chief Minister.
"They (BJP) want to import the issue from Uttar Pradesh as they have no agenda. Anyone can see how this was made an issue in UP, it was match-fixing. They are making every effort to exploit it in Bihar, to polarize voters on communal lines. Their technique is to cause local trouble. We are conscious of this from the beginning. The police and administration have been alert. Now they have got an issue."
Mr Kumar, responding to whether he wanted to debate Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said: "I am ready for debate. I want to debate first and foremost on development. Let him debate...how has Madhya Pradesh come out of the BIMARU (acronym for the six most underdeveloped states in India)? Will he debate? He only wants to stick to a single-point agenda to divide the society."
The Chief Minister's comments come as Lalu Prasad Yadav, his partner in the anti-BJP coalition for the Bihar polls, faces an aggressive attack over his comments on eating beef.
Lalu Prasad had said "Don't Hindus eat beef too? It is the poor who are forced to eat beef. People eat (beef) outside the country too. What difference does it make?" He had also remarked: "Anyway one should not eat beef as it causes diseases."
Asked if Lalu Prasad had provoked the BJP into attacking him, Mr Kumar said: "I don't want to get into this but it was the BJP which used objectionable language first, then Laluji spoke."
The Chief Minister also denied the apparent friction between Lalu Prasad and Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi since the show of unity in June when the alliance to take on the BJP was announced; the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief has said he will not campaign with the Gandhis.
"Everything is fine," Mr Kumar told NDTV. "There are three parties in the grand alliance. There is very good coordination. Everyone is going to each others areas. It is not possible to have public meetings together. It is impractical."
Mr Kumar was also asked whether he felt that his tie-up with Lalu Prasad, who was convicted of corruption, dilutes his own development agenda, with the BJP raising "Jungle Raj" taunts.
"That is the BJP's style of functioning. The entire country is watching the Bihar polls. If those who condemn the BJP's politics don't get together and fight, then the people of the country will not like it. This fight is not just about Bihar. And that is why we joined hands. We reply to their allegations on Bihar crime figures at each rally...even though they might have more influence on the media."
He commented that the media had not given him equal space. "Even a smaller BJP leader is getting better coverage," he complained.