With counting of votes for the eight Bihar legislative council seats due on Tuesday, a delegation of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders on Monday submitted a detailed memorandum to the state election office, seeking ironclad safeguards against any possible irregularities.
The party delegation led by Maner MLA Bhai Virendra reached the chief electoral officer’s (CEO) office and handed over a 10-point charter of demands. Because of the multi-cornered nature of the fights, the contests have drawn particular attention. The RJD leaders expressed apprehension over the possibility of manipulation during the counting process and insisted on complete transparency. The ruling NDA, the opposition Mahagathbandhan (MGB) and Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) are all in the fray. In the high-profile Patna graduates’ constituency, the contest has been further complicated by the open rift within the JD(U), with Mokama MLA Anant Singh backing a rival candidate of JSP against the party’s official nominee. Opposition leaders had already alleged misuse of administrative machinery and possible voter impersonation during polling. Tejashwi Yadav had accused the government of slowing down the voting process to facilitate “vote theft. Monday’s memorandum is the latest formal step by the RJD to put these concerns on record ahead of the crucial counting day.
The RJD delegation submitted its memorandum to the CEO, Bihar, even as the Congress party is mounting its offensive against the chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the allegation of “vote chori” and launched a massive campaign against the election commission’s alleged design to manipulate the voting. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who was here on Sunday, had also trained his guns over the BJP and the CEC on the charges of stealing votes in favour of the ruling dispensation in Bihar and in other states.
The outcome of these eight seats will be watched closely as an early indicator of political equations in the state.
Election officials have maintained that the process will be conducted strictly according to the commission’s guidelines and under close supervision.
