Patna, Sep 26 (NDTV): The BJP's battle for Bihar has just got murkier with the party's own lawmaker and former Home Secretary RK Singh alleging that money has changed hands for tickets.

"They are giving tickets to criminals. How will they give a clean government? This is injustice to the people of Bihar. When Sabir Ali joined the party, I was against it. Now his wife is given a ticket. Some people have sold tickets to criminals," he said in Patna today.

Trying to downplay the controversial statement, BJP's national vice-president CP Thakur said there was no problem within the party. "The party has thought through everything. Few seats were given to the allies. There is nothing to worry. After distribution of tickets, such allegations always crop up," he said.

Sources in the party denied Mr Singh's statement and said a statement will be issued soon.

Sabir Ali, a former Janata Dal United (JDU) leader, was re-inducted in the BJP in July.

Earlier in March 2014, he was expelled from the JDU for praising Narendra Modi, the then prime ministerial candidate of BJP. He joined the BJP on March 28, but was expelled the very next day after severe criticism within the party, especially from party vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on his alleged links with arrested Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal.