Indian politician shot at rally

Mr Prasad was shot after finishing an election speech

A former Indian federal minister has escaped an apparent attempt on his life on the eve of a state election.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, ex-information and broadcasting minister under the BJP, was shot during an election meeting in northern Bihar state's Rohtas district.

Doctors said he was in a stable condition in hospital.

The alleged attacker was reportedly beaten to death by locals but doctors ready to carry out a post-mortem found him to be still alive.

Lawless

The Press Trust of India said a man carrying crude guns went up to the meeting stage and fired shots at the end of Mr Prasad's speech.

Officials said Mr Prasad, who was a federal minister under the Bharatiya Janata Party from January 2003 to May 2004, was hit in the arm.

The alleged attacker was caught and beaten with sticks and stones by local people.

Police said he was dead on arrival at hospital but doctors brought in to carry out a post-mortem noticed movement in his leg.

The alleged attacker, in his 20s, is in a serious condition.

Bihar is one of India's poorest and most lawless states.

Bihar's minority assembly was dissolved in May after earlier elections with the Congress-led government in Delhi taking direct control.

The move angered the opposition BJP, which said it had not been given enough time to form a majority.

Congress rejected the complaints, saying the move was aimed at preventing any efforts to buy legislators' support in the minority assembly.

Voting for 243 assembly seats in Bihar will be held in four phases in October and November with the counting to be held on 22 November.