Patna, Oct. 19 -- Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya on Sunday hit back at the NDA's "jungle raj" jibe, claiming acute poverty and a rise in crime under the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar.

Speaking to ANI, Bhattacharya termed the NDA regime as "Maha jungle raj", claiming that 94.5 lakh families in Bihar survive on a monthly income of less than Rs 6,000.

Alleging "worst" crime rate in the State, he said, "Crime is at its worst today. Killing in hospital to killing of a trader, rapes...people say if that was 'jungle raj', we are in a 'maha jungle raj'."

"People have been listening to development for 20 years, but there is acute poverty. The government's own survey says 94....