File photo of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said that only development-related issues should be discussed during elections, and accused his political opponents of raising the beef controversy to hide their failures.
"Where has this issue of beef come from... Election is the biggest event in democracy and nothing other than development should be discussed in it. They (rival parties) are raising these useless issues to divert the attention of people from their failures," he said, while addressing an election rally in Karagrah in Bihar.
Assuring full support to Bihar for maintaining law and order if BJP comes to power, the Union Home Minister said extra police force will be provided to the state.
"I will ask Bihar Chief Minister to stop all unruly and violent elements in the state. I will provide from the Centre as many police force as required by him to maintain the law and order in Bihar," the minister said.
The state is set for polling in 49 seats in the first of the five-phase elections tomorrow.
The 'Grand Alliance' of JD-U, RJD and Congress is pitted against the BJP-LJP-RLSP-HAM combine in the politically crucial state.
BJP has fielded 27 candidates in the 49 seats, followed by Janata Dal (United) 24, Rashtriya Janata Dal 17, Lok Janshakti Party 13, Congress eight and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party six and Hindustani Awam Morcha three.