A bomb was found near a BJP MLA's office in Bihar's West Champaran on Saturday two days before the first phase of the assembly election is set to begin. The incident is likely to raise tensions in the state.

A time bomb and a threat letter were reportedly found near the office of MLA Rashmi Verma, who was denied ticket by the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP in Bihar's Narkatiaganj , ANI news agency reported. She is contesting as an independent candidate.

Another independent candidate was shot at on Saturday in Bihar's Madhubani district, and is said to be seriously injured.

Bihar police have also reportedly foiled a Maoist plan to disrupt the polls and have recovered 575 kg of explosives, batteries, and fuse wires, as well as a book on landmine technology, All India Radio News reported.

The first phase of the crucial Assembly election in Bihar is set to begin on 12 October, and the rivalry between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Nitish Kumar-Lalu Yadav alliance has heated up following a series of fiery speeches by PM Narendra Modi in the last two days.

Bomb and threat letter found near BJP office in Narkatiaganj in West Champaran, it is the office of BJP MLA Rashmi Verma #BiharPolls — ANI (@ANI_news) October 10, 2015

Several opinion polls have predicted a victory for the BJP-led NDA by a slight margin. However, some polls have also predicted that the Grand Alliance, comprising JD(U), RJD, and Congress will win majority of the seats.

Modi and Lalu Yadav have been throwing verbal volleys at each other over recent days, and the election commission urged parties to maintain decency in speeches.

The campaigning for the first phase of the Bihar election will end on Saturday.