Patna, Jan 23 (IANS) Bihar was again on the path of 'jungle-raj', thanks to JD-U leader Nitish Kumar joining hands with RJD chief Lalu Prasad for the sake of power, BJP president Amit Shah said here Friday.

"Bihar is again on the path of jungle-raj after Nitish Kumar joined hands with Lalu Prasad. But the BJP will not allow Bihar to return to jungle-raj," Shah said at a Bharatiya Janata Party public meeting here.

The public meet was part of Shah's 'Mission Bihar' to woo the backward castes ahead of the crucial state assembly polls to be held later this year.

Shah said Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad's "new friendship" has indirectly led to an increase in the number of cases of abduction, extortion, rape, murder and train robbery in the last few months in Bihar.

Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) are set to merge in the state.

Shah, however, did not say anything about Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

"Nitish Kumar ended the alliance with the BJP due to his arrogance and his ambition to become prime minister. He betrayed the people of Bihar," he said.

Shah arrived here Friday on a two-day visit to take stock of the poll preparations.

He appealed to the people to support the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to form a majority government in Bihar.

"The BJP will form the next government in Bihar with overwhelming support of the people and Bihar will become the No.1 state under BJP rule in the next five years," he said.

Shah reminded the people of the achievements of the Modi government, and asked them to give them 185 seats in the 243-member assembly.

The BJP has also set another goal of enrolling 75 lakh new members in Bihar during its nationwide membership drive that is targeting 10 crore new members.

Shah asked BJP leaders to connect with the people and aim to repeat the party's performance in the Lok Sabha polls when the BJP in alliance with the Lok Janshakti Party and the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party won 31 of the total 40 seats.