Ravi Shanker shot in the arm

Sasaram,Bihar--As the election in Bihar are coming closer, political parties are using all sorts of methods to win this election. For the first time star campaigner of BJP has been injured while he was attending a election rally in Sasaram, Bihar.

The former Information and Broadcasting Minister was participating in the rally in the assembly constituency of sitting BJP MLA Rameshwar Prasad Chaurasia, when an unidentified man jumped onto the dais and shot at him.

The attacker had two country made guns on him.

The Minister, who was shot from a close range, sustained bullet injury on his left arm.

Official reports said that the the lone assailant was overpowered and supposedly beaten to death by the angry. However, it was later discovered by the dcotor attending him that the assailant was unconscious, not dead.

An injured Prasad was shifted to a hopital in Sasaram where after a minor operation the bullet was removed.

BJP President L K Advani assured that Prasad was out of danger.

Prasad has been airlifted to Patna.

Sources said the real target seemed to be BJP MLA Chaurasia, one of the petitioners challenging the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly in the Supreme Court.

Chaurasia escaped unhurt in the attack.

Former Union Minster and BJP leader Pramod Mahajan was also participating in the rally.

BJP condemns assassination attempt

The BJP strongly condemned the attack  Prasad at an election rally, squarely blaming the ruling RJD and its allies for terrorising the voters yearning for a change.

Addressing newspersons in New Delhi, party Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the BJP had been telling the Election Commission about the violence being unleashed against the opposition parties in Bihar.

He said that the attack also showed the nervousness of the forces opposed to the BJP and NDA which were way ahead of them in the run up to the elections.

BJP chief Advani said  that the incident potrayed the "complete breakdown" of law and order in Bihar and urged the Election Commission to take steps to ensure proper  conduct of assembly elections in the state.

The incident highlights that the situation is a matter of concern for all those who would like to have free and fair elections in Bihar, Advani said.

Meanwhile, the Congress party condemned the attack on the BJP leader. It said that it was the duty of the police and the administration to apprehend the perpetrators of the attack and to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

Wishing Prasad a speedy recovery Party spokesman Anand Sharma said that violence had no place in politics and democracy and should be deplored in the strongest terms.