Amidst the controversy over the special intensive revision (SIR) of voter lists about the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav said on Thursday that his party had an option to boycott the election. At the same time, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has described it as the confession of the defeat of the opposition.
Tejashwi Yadav’s allegations: fraud and fake FIR
Speaking to reporters on the last day of the monsoon session of the state assembly, Tejashwi Yadav described Sir as “no less than fraud”. He alleged that the booth-level officers are signing the calculation forms and thumb marks on behalf of the voters and the empty forms are being used as a waste paper. He also said that an FIR is being lodged against independent journalists highlighting these discrepancies, and the government is feeling all right because “The Election Commission is acting like a political tool of the ruling party.
Election Commission exercise and concerns of opposition parties
According to the Election Commission, in the survey conducted from door to door under the revision campaign of voter list in Bihar, more than 52 lakh voters have not been found present at their address and more than 18 lakh people have died. However, opposition parties claim that this exercise will deprive crores of eligible citizens of franchise. RJD has also moved the Supreme Court against the voter list amendment in Bihar.
Tejashwi Yadav expressed grief that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar “did not say even a word” on the issue, while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary tried to add only the annual voter revision with the special intensive revision going on in the current. Hai, Yadav retaliated. “I have sent him a ‘printout’ of the statement made by the Narendra Modi government of the Center in Parliament, which states that the number of Bihari migrants is more than three crores.”
NDA reversal: Fear and excuse of defeat
NDA leaders have described Tejashwi Yadav’s comment as fear of defeat. Union Minister and JDU leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’ said, “He feels that he will lose the election. Their fraud has been exposed and hence he is saying that he will not contest elections.” BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy also said that Tejashwi Yadav has either accepted his defeat in Bihar or he is “doing some politics that I cannot understand. Union Minister SP Singh Baghel accused the opposition of” encouraging the intruders to cast votes “and said that the Election Commission is asking for documents only to prove that you are citizens of India.
Support of opposition coalition and question on Election Commission
Congress leader KC Venugopal and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP Mahua Maji has supported Tejashwi Yadav. Venugopal said that this method of the Election Commission raises doubts, while Mahua Maji questioned why the Election Commission is making haste in this process. He also mentioned the FIR being registered against the journalist and being outside many people of Bihar, who have not been informed. Tejashwi Yadav finally said that the “real game” will start from August 1, when the Election Commission will start preparing the draft voter list and voters will be allowed to register their claims or objections.
