India, Oct. 30 -- Campaigning for the high-stakes assembly elections in Bihar kicked into high gear on Wednesday as both the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition Grand Alliance deployed top leaders to address rallies criss-crossing the state, hoping to convince voters before the polls next month.

The NDA campaign was fronted by Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, two other Union ministers and chief ministers of threestates. Shah, who addressed three rallies, underlined that Nitish Kumar would remain chief minister if the NDA came back to power, called the Opposition alliance "thug bandhan" and alleged that Rahul Gandhi wanted to shield infiltrators by opposing the special intensive revis...