Patna, May 1 (IANS): Politics over the visit of self-styled godman Dhirendra Shastri continues in Bihar with Union minister Giriraj Singh on Monday challenging the leaders of the Mahagathbandhan to stop him from coming to Patna.

Shastri, the chief of Bageshwar Dham, a pilgrimage site in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district, is scheduled to be in Patna from May 13-17 for a religious programme in the Naubatpur locality.

"The organisers of the event had applied for space in Gandhi Maidan, which the district administration refused. The state government led by Nitish Kumar gave space to the Muslim community for prayers during EID, but it has denied space to a Hindu saint in Gandhi Maidan," Singh said.

"The Bihar government may have denied Shastri space in Gandhi Maidan, but no one can dare to stop from him landing in Patna for a religious programme," Singh said.

Earlier, RJD leaders Tej Pratap Yadav, Jagadanand Singh, Vrisan Patel and Surendra Ram had objected to Shastri's visit to Patna.